CisLunar Industries Unveils Breakthrough Step Toward Star Trek Tractor Beams

Denver, CO – May 13, 2025 – CisLunar Industries, a commercial space leader providing critical power and manufacturing infrastructure for the space industrial economy, has announced a groundbreaking advancement in remote object manipulation: the first universal system capable of 3D position control of any electrically conductive material using time-varying magnetic fields. This innovation shatters previous limitations that restricted magnetic manipulation to soft or hard-magnetic materials, unlocking new possibilities across industries. This breakthrough, recently published in IEEE, is a giant leap toward making the legendary Star Trek tractor beam a reality.

“We now have the capability to manipulate any conductive non-uniform material within 3D space without physical contact,” said Joe Pawelski, co-author of the peer-reviewed technical paper and CTO of CisLunar Industries. “This incredible work has taken us one step closer to Star Trek and realizing real-life tractor beams.”

The company recognizes multiple science fiction fandoms, so the Star Wars equivalent of tractor beams would be using the Force to move objects without touching them.

This breakthrough technology can control and levitate common metals like aluminum and copper using changing magnetic fields - no special magnets or coatings needed. It simplifies and saves energy by stabilizing objects without constant monitoring. Inspired by sci-fi tractor beams, it can move applicable objects in three dimensions and could lead to a variety of groundbreaking capabilities. Ultimately, this innovation brings us closer to the futuristic possibilities seen in Star Trek and beyond.

"I love seeing companies working on technology that's not just super cool but actually moves us closer to a Star Trek future — where we have equality, endless energy, and amazing tech that makes life better for everyone,” said Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, son of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and Founder of Roddenberry Entertainment. “What CisLunar Industries is doing — figuring out how to move space objects using remarkable, cutting-edge science — feels like the first real step toward building a tractor beam. It’s this kind of outside-the-box thinking that’s going to help open up space for all of us."

For more information on this technology, see the IEEE article: “Open-Loop Control of Electrically Conductive Materials in an Oscillating Magnetic Field" (DOI: 10.1109/TRO.2025.3562451).