Skyhook

[MKruer]

I am sure that most of you have head of the Skyhook mega structure to loft object into orbit. I am trying to figure out for my planet, what the best version of it would be. Ideally the hook would only come down in say 2-10 locations on the planet. The number drop will ultimately be decided by the length of the skyhook and the velocity at which it is able to pick up objects.

Planet Info
37.014 (hr) retrograde
7184.5 (km) radius
45,141.545 (km) circumference
11.255 (m/sec^2) surface gravity
8.71E+24 (kg) Mass

On a related note, how would it appear? From a person on the ground, would the hook always be directly overhead or would you see it coming for the horizon?

[MKruer]

I think I figured it out.

I am using semi arbitrary numbers for a hook making and orbit in approximately 117 minutes. This will allow the skyhook to be exactly over the area it started at and compensating for the spin of the planet. This means that the center of mass sky hook would be needs to be roughly 1800km above the planet to keep with the time table.

I am assuming that the hook rotates makes planet fall at three static locations drop zones, once ever other location and of course it’s the opposite side of the hook that makes planet fall. The reason for this is to allow time for each station to make any necessary cargo preparations, giving each station essentially a 78 minute turn around time.

The hook would enter the atmosphere traveling backwards at 301kmph compared to the spin of the planet. From a visual standpoint it would appears that the hook is coming in steeply, levels out and then goes back up in a parabolic curve.

The entire load would be under 1/8 gravity of the planet; because it is spinning slower then it orbits.

Anyone want to crunch the numbers and see if I am correct?

For the drop zone I envision a airport like system where the drop area is along the axis of the drop area. There would also be off shoots to move cargo in and out of the runway area.