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[Interview] How Close Are We To Building A Practical Skyhook

Author
Fraser Cain
Published
Thu 28 Aug 2025
Episode Link
https://universetoday.fireside.fm/1403

We definitely won't see a space elevator built in any foreseeable future. But there is a similar but much more practical approach – a skyhook. How close are we to creating one? Why is it useful? What challenges does it bring and when can we expect first practical demonstrations? Finding out in this interview.

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🟣 Guest: Dr. Markus Landgraf

https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=vgra4_QAAAAJ

📜 A multi-stage orbital sky hook for exploration in the new space transportation era

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0094576525004485


  • 00:00 Intro

  • 01:52 What is a skyhook

  • 24:52 Materials

  • 28:23 Possible practical tests

  • 30:30 Current obsessions

  • 36:59 Final thoughts

📺 VIDEO VERSION

https://youtu.be/SvYvXk39wG8

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⚖️ LICENSE

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

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