A skyhook is a proposed momentum-exchange tether that rotates in low Earth orbit. The lower end dips into the upper atmosphere at a relatively low relative velocity, allowing a hypersonic aircraft or suborbital rocket to attach a payload to it. The rotation of the tether then swings the payload up into a higher orbit, drastically reducing the fuel required to reach space.
Heard on the job
If we could build a viable skyhook, the payload fraction of our launch vehicles would triple overnight.
Also heard as
- momentum-exchange tether