Space Tethers: No more rockets?

Space Tethers/ Skyhooks: Could be the best innovation ever

 

A Space Tether is a proposed momentum exchange tether that is possibly hundreds or thousands of kilometers long and is used to transport space crafts into higher orbits. This concept is known as the Skyhook. It can also be used to give the initial thrust to space shuttles so that they can travel longer distances in shorter periods of time and thus save fuel. These huge things would be orbiting around the earth and will provide momentum to space crafts going to other planets by taking the momentum from space crafts coming from the space with new materials. A simple mechanism of momentum transfer can be used for the optimum use of Skyhooks. It would also reduce the risk of space shuttles crashing on their return journey towards the earth. This is because their momentum will be transferred to the tether. 

Space Tethers could also be made to orbit around other planets like Mars. One tether will orbit around the earth while the other will be around Mars. Both of them can send spaceships at each other. It will significantly reduce the time required to reach Mars from 9 months down to 5 or 3 months. In accordance with that, the rocket that is used to carry fuel will shrink in height, owing to the less fuel requirement. If that's the case, traveling to Mars would become super easy. Not only Mars, but we can also place Space tethers on many other planets. We would be able to get new materials for the earth and research things on other planets and their moons.

However, if we want to minimize our fuel consumption, the Skyhook should be as close to the earth's surface as possible. This means, if the Skyhook brushes through the atmosphere, friction might damage the tether. For that to not happen, the Skyhook must be placed right above the earth's atmosphere. This requires meticulous planning and execution. Also, sending tethers to other planets while analyzing their atmosphere is even more challenging. But once these are arranged all across the solar system, humans would be able to travel far away planets in a shorter amount of time. This could be the next big thing in space travel. Let's see!