Orbital Skyhook: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 09:16, 11 July 2025

The Orbital Skyhook is required to extract resources from planets in null security space. It retains the functionality of the customs office, allowing characters to continue using planets for Planetary Industry, while also opening up access to colony resources^{[note 1]}.

Skyhooks can be attached to all planetary types but only within player-owned sovereign null security space, and only one can be placed in the orbit of each planet.

A Skyhook has a single reinforcement cycle with similar hit points, resistances, and damage cap to existing Upwell Consortium medium structures such as the Raitaru or Athanor.

Orbital Skyhooks attract hostile pirate NPCs just like asteroid belts do. This can make the space around skyhooks dangerous to unprepared ships but also provide more PvE opportunities for clever players.

Skyhooks can be raided by other players, but only during specific, visible windows. These raiding windows are set by the structure owner, with a randomized offset.

Colony resources

Three distinct colony resources are gained from a planet once a Skyhook is attached to it, in varying amounts depending on the planet type.

Power

Power is provided by gas, storm, and plasma planets through an Orbital Skyhook. It is used by the Sovereignty Hub to bring online the various upgrades available for the system. If a Skyhook that is producing power is destroyed, all power it was supplying is removed from the system' Sovereignty Hub.

Workforce

Workforce is provided by barren, oceanic and temperate planets that have an Orbital Skyhook attached to them. Each planet gives a varying amount depending on the type of planet. As with Power, Workforce is required to bring online any Sovereignty Hub upgrades installed in the system. If a Skyhook that is providing workforce is attacked and killed, all workforce it supplied is removed from the systems' Sovereignty Hub.

Reagents

Reagents are physical assets that are produced passively by lava and íce planets that have an Orbital Skyhook attached to them.

Magmatic Gas - Is provided by lava planets, and is used to fuel the moon drill on the Metenox Moon Miner, as well as the Cynosural Navigation (Pharolux Cyno Beacon) and Cynosural Suppression (Tenebrex Cyno Jammer)
Superionic Ice - Is provided by ice planets, and is used fuel the Advanced Logistics Network (Ansiblex Jump Bridge) and the Supercapital Construction Facilities upgrades

Skyhook Bays

Reagents harvested are split equally between the Secure Bay and the Surplus Bay.

The Secure Bay is only accessible by owners and ACL-listed players, at all times. The Secure Bay is not affected by raids.
The Surplus Bay is vulnerable to theft, but only during certain windows. Once raided, all the contents of the Surplus Bay drop

Theft

Vulnerable Skyhooks can be identified from the world map, using the Vulnerable Skyhooks filter, or using the Colony Resources page in the Agency.

Reagents are the only colony resource that can be stolen. This can be done by linking to the Skyhook Reagent Silo which is present on Skyhooks that are harvesting reagents from ice and lava planets. The link becomes available once a Silo has been brought down to 10% Shield HP.

The linking ship must be a combat ship of cruiser size or larger, or one of the Upwell hauling ships, and the pilot linking to the Reagent Silo must be in the Omega clone state.
Ships that are linked to the Skyhook Reagent Silo are unable to warp, use micro jump drives, cloak or tether and their maximum velocity is capped at 1,000 m/s. This effect lasts for 2 minutes after breaking the link.
After a ship has begun to link to the Skyhook Reagent silo, completing the link will take 10 minutes.
Starting a theft on a Skyhook Silo will send a notification to all pilots in the solar system, and after 2 minutes, all pilots 1 jump away, and finally, after 5 minutes, an additional notification to all pilots within 2 jumps.
Only one ship can link to a Skyhook silo at a time when committing reagent theft.

If reagents are stolen from a Skyhook, the entirety of the Surplus Bay will drop into space to be collected.

Theft can only be attempted during a 2-hour period every 3-4 days^[1], roughly around a 6 hour exit window chosen by the Skyhook owner for their reinforcement timer.

Specifically, Skyhook vulnerability windows are based on the defender's chosen hour, offset by a value taken from a Gaussian distribution (bell curve) with a standard deviation of 3 hours. This means that it is possible (though unlikely) for a Skyhook to roll a vulnerability timer well outside of a defender's chosen hour^[2].

Following this distribution, a Skyhook has a 68.2% chance to come out some time within a 6 hour window of the defenders' chosen hour. Otherwise, there is a 27.2% chance that it will instead come out at some time in the 3 hour window before or after their preferred time, a 4.2% chance it will come out 6 hours before or after their preferred 6 hour long time window, or 0.2% chance to end up at a time in the completely opposite timezone.

If the Skyhook is not raided during this window, it will no longer be vulnerable; instead the contents of the Surplus Bay will roll over. When it becomes vulnerable again, it will have resources equivalent to 6-8 days. This process continues until the Skyhook is raided again.

Notes and references

Notes

^ Introduced in the Equinox expansion

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Cleanup}}
+{{PlanetaryIndustryNav}}
+The '''Orbital Skyhook''' is required to extract resources from [[planets]] in null security space. It retains the functionality of the [[Player Owned Customs Office|customs office]], allowing characters to continue using planets for [[Planetary Industry]], while also opening up access to colony resources<ref group=note >Introduced in the Equinox expansion</ref>.
-{{PlanetaryIndustryNav}}
+Skyhooks can be attached to all planetary types but only within player-owned [[Sovereignty|sovereign]] null security space, and only <em>one</em> can be placed in the orbit of each planet.
-The Orbital Skyhook is required to extract resources from planets in null security space. It retains the functionality of the customs office, allowing characters to continue using planets for [[Planetary Industry]], while also opening up access to colony resources that were introduced in the Equinox expansion.
-Skyhooks can be attached to all planetary types but only within player-owned [[Sovereignty|sovereign]] null security]space, and only one can be placed in the orbit of each planet.
 A Skyhook has a single reinforcement cycle with similar hit points, resistances, and damage cap to existing [[Upwell structures|Upwell Consortium medium structures]] such as the Raitaru or Athanor.
-Three distinct colony resources are gained from a planet once a Skyhook is attached to it, in varying amounts depending on the planet type.
+Orbital Skyhooks attract [[Belt rat|hostile pirate NPCs]] just like asteroid belts do. This can make the space around skyhooks dangerous to unprepared ships but also provide more PvE opportunities for clever players.
+Skyhooks can be raided by other players, but only during specific, visible windows. These raiding windows are set by the structure owner, with a randomized offset.
+== Colony resources ==
+Three distinct '''colony resources''' are gained from a planet once a Skyhook is attached to it, in varying amounts depending on the [[planet]] type.
+=== Power ===
+'''Power''' is provided by '''gas''', '''storm''', and '''plasma''' planets through an Orbital Skyhook. It is used by the [[Sovereignty Hub]] to bring online the various upgrades available for the system.  If a Skyhook that is producing power is destroyed, all power it was supplying is removed from the system' Sovereignty Hub.
+=== Workforce ===
+'''Workforce''' is provided by '''barren''', '''oceanic''' and '''temperate''' planets that have an Orbital Skyhook attached to them. Each planet gives a varying amount depending on the type of planet. As with Power, Workforce is required to bring online any Sovereignty Hub upgrades installed in the system. If a Skyhook that is providing workforce is attacked and killed, all workforce it supplied is removed from the systems' Sovereignty Hub.
+=== Reagents ===
+'''Reagents''' are physical assets that are produced passively by '''lava''' and '''íce''' planets that have an Orbital Skyhook attached to them.
+* Magmatic Gas - Is provided by lava planets, and is used to fuel the moon drill on the Metenox Moon Miner, as well as the Cynosural Navigation ([[Pharolux Cyno Beacon]]) and Cynosural Suppression ([[Tenebrex Cyno Jammer]])
+* Superionic Ice - Is provided by ice planets, and is used fuel the Advanced Logistics Network ([[Ansiblex Jump Bridge]]) and the Supercapital Construction Facilities upgrades
+==== Skyhook Bays ====
+<!-- Original text from CCP: Reagents start out in an immature state, but over time they will become mature and extractable. This maturation will ramp up in yield over time, effectively creating extractable resources faster.-->
+Reagents harvested are split equally between the Secure Bay and the Surplus Bay.
+* The Secure Bay is only accessible by owners and ACL-listed players, at all times. The Secure Bay is not affected by raids.
+* The Surplus Bay is vulnerable to theft, but only during certain windows. Once raided, all the contents of the Surplus Bay drop
+==== Theft ====
-* Power is provided by gas, storm, and plasma [[planets]] through an Orbital Skyhook. It is used by the Sovereignty Hub to bring online the various upgrades available for the system.  If a Skyhook producing workforce is destroyed, all power it was supplying is removed from the systems' Sovereignty Hub.
+Vulnerable Skyhooks can be identified from the world map, using the Vulnerable Skyhooks filter, or using the Colony Resources page in the Agency.
-* Workforce is provided by Barren, Oceanic and Temperate planets that have an Orbital Skyhook attached to them. Each planet gives a varying amount depending on type of planet. <br>As with Power, Workforce is required to bring online any Sovereignty Hub upgrades installed in the system. <br>If a Skyhook providing workforce is attacked and killed, all workforce it supplied is removed from the systems' Sovereignty Hub.
-* Reagents are assets that are produced passively by planets that have an Orbital Skyhook attached to them. Reagents start out in an immature state, but over time they will become mature and extractable. This maturation will ramp up in yield over time, effectively creating extractable resources faster.
-** Magmatic Gas - Is provided by Lava Planets, and is used to fuel the moon drill on the Metenox Moon Miner, as well as the Cynosural Navigation (Pharolux Cyno Beacon) and Cynosural Suppression (Tenebrex Cyno Jammer)
-** Superionic Ice - Is provided by Ice Planets, and is used fuel the Advanced Logistics Network (Ansiblex Jump Gate) and the Supercapital Construction Facilities upgrades
-Reagents are the only colony resource that can be stolen. This can be done by linking to the Skyhook Reagent Silo which is present on Skyhooks that are harvesting reagents from Ice and Lava planets. The link becomes available once a Silo has been brought down to 10% Shield HP.
+Reagents are the only colony resource that can be stolen. This can be done by linking to the Skyhook Reagent Silo which is present on Skyhooks that are harvesting reagents from ice and lava planets. The link becomes available once a Silo has been brought down to 10% Shield HP.
-The linking ship must be a combat ship of cruiser size or larger, or one of the new Upwell hauling ships, and the pilot linking to the Reagent Silo must be in the Omega clone state.
+* The linking ship must be a combat ship of [[cruiser]] size or larger, or one of the [[Haulers#Specialized transports|Upwell hauling ships]], and the pilot linking to the Reagent Silo must be in the [[Omega clone]] state.
-Players that are linked to the Skyhook Reagent Silo are unable to warp, use micro jump drives, cloak or tether and their maximum velocity is capped at 1000 m/s.
+* Ships that are linked to the Skyhook Reagent Silo are unable to warp, use micro jump drives, cloak or tether and their maximum velocity is capped at 1,000 m/s. This effect lasts for 2 minutes after breaking the link.
-After a ship has begun to link to the Skyhook Reagent silo, completing the link will take 10 minutes and once initiated will notify players in surrounding systems that a theft is in progress.
+* After a ship has begun to link to the Skyhook Reagent silo, completing the link will take 10 minutes.
-Only one ship can link to a Skyhook silo at a time when committing reagent theft.
+* Starting a theft on a Skyhook Silo will send a notification to all pilots in the solar system, and after 2 minutes, all pilots 1 jump away, and finally, after 5 minutes, an additional notification to all pilots within 2 jumps.
-If reagents are stolen from a Skyhook, the ramped yield will reset and a portion of both immature and mature reagents are placed in a cargo container beside the silo, while all remaining reagents in the Skyhook are destroyed. This makes defending reagent-producing Skyhooks important.
+* Only one ship can link to a Skyhook silo at a time when committing reagent theft.
-Orbital Skyhooks also attract hostile pirate NPCs just like asteroid belts do. This can make the space around skyhooks dangerous to unprepared ships but also provides more PVE opportunities for clever players.
+If reagents are stolen from a Skyhook, the entirety of the Surplus Bay will drop into space to be collected.
-== Reagents ==
+Theft can only be attempted during a 2-hour period every 3-4 days<ref>https://www.eveonline.com/news/view/patch-notes-version-23-01</ref>, roughly around a 6 hour exit window chosen by the Skyhook owner for their reinforcement timer.
-Reagents are assets that are produced passively by planets that have an Orbital Skyhook attached to them. Reagents start out in an immature state, but over time they will become mature and extractable. This maturation will ramp up in yield over time, effectively creating extractable resources faster.
-* Magmatic Gas - Is provided by Lava Planets, and is used to fuel the moon drill on the Metenox Moon Miner, as well as the Cynosural Navigation (Pharolux Cyno Beacon) and Cynosural Suppression (Tenebrex Cyno Jammer)
-* Superionic Ice - Is provided by Ice Planets, and is used fuel the Advanced Logistics Network (Ansiblex Jump Gate) and the Supercapital Construction Facilities upgrades
-=== Maturation ===
+Specifically, Skyhook vulnerability windows are based on the defender's chosen hour, offset by a value taken from a Gaussian distribution (bell curve) with a standard deviation of 3 hours. This means that it is possible (though unlikely) for a Skyhook to roll a vulnerability timer well outside of a defender's chosen hour<ref>https://www.eveonline.com/news/view/skyhook-enhancements-live-now-faq</ref>.
-As stated above, reagents start out in an immature state when initially extracted, and are then automatically converted to a processed state which can be extracted. This conversion happens automatically every 3 days and is about 15-16% of the amount of immature reagents currently held by the Skyhook.
-For example, assuming a 15% conversion rate and a production of 100 reagents every day, then after 3 days the Skyhook will convert 45 reagents to a processed state, leaving 255 reagents in an immature state. Then after another 3 days the Skyhook will hold 555 immature reagents of which 83 will be converted to a processed state.
+Following this distribution, a Skyhook has a 68.2% chance to come out some time within a 6 hour window of the defenders' chosen hour. Otherwise, there is a 27.2% chance that it will instead come out at some time in the 3 hour window before or after their preferred time, a 4.2% chance it will come out 6 hours before or after their preferred 6 hour long time window, or 0.2% chance to end up at a time in the completely opposite timezone.
-=== Theft ===
+If the Skyhook is not raided during this window, it will no longer be vulnerable; instead the contents of the Surplus Bay will roll over. When it becomes vulnerable again, it will have resources equivalent to 6-8 days. This process continues until the Skyhook is raided again.
-In addition to the automatic conversion every 3 days, immature reagents can also be converted to the processed state by theft. The conversion rate when stealing is 40% and it can be done by both enemies and allies, allowing for self-theft to force an extraction. Importantly, if reagents are stolen any immature reagents not converted are destroyed.
-For example, assuming the Skyhook holds 300 immature reagents, then after stealing you will have 120 processed reagents and the Skyhook will hold 0 immature reagents.
+== Notes and references ==
+=== Notes ===
+<references group=note />
-=== Maximizing output ===
+=== References ===
-The optimal strategy for maximizing processed reagents depends on your appetite for risk. This is because the longer you wait to self-steal, the more total processed reagents are gained from automatic conversion plus self-stealing, but the more attractive the Skyhook becomes for theft.
+<references />
-At no point in time does the output solely from automatic conversion become better than automatic conversion plus self-steal, however, automatic conversion becomes better than self-stealing every day after 15 days, automatic conversion becomes better than self-stealing every third day after 24 days, and so on. We can see this as, continuing the example above, self-stealing after the first automatic conversion will net you 147 (45 + 102) compared to 120 (40 + 40 + 40) from self-stealing every day, and self-stealing after the second automatic conversion will net you 316 (45 + 83 + 188) compared to 294 (147 + 147) from self-stealing every third day. See the full table [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ErZxcMak_1PPCzthj4TXsONbzp_XkpX6b6Mol0pDt5Y/ here].
+== See also ==
+* Expansion notes [https://www.eveonline.com/news/view/equinox-expansion-notes#h2-2 Equinox]
+* EVE support: [https://support.eveonline.com/hc/en-us/articles/14339732733724-Orbital-Skyhook Orbital Skyhook ]
-In general you should wait as long as possible then self-steal AFTER automatic conversion has happened, but if you know there is a risk of theft then you should self-steal.
+{{Structure_Links}}
 [[Category:Structures]]
 [[Category:Planetary Industry]]