The Return of the Space Elevator

[Egaladeist]

Remember my post on Space elevators...

http://www.antionline.com/showthread...pace+elevators
NASA Space Elevators

seems it's still a topic of discussion...

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIF.--Picture a ribbon stronger than steel that stretches from Earth to the moon and acts as a kind of space highway, on which robots transport materials back and forth.

That is what scientists call the space elevator. And long before it's ever a reality--if it is at all--scientists must discover the materials, mechanisms and wireless power source to make it work efficiently.

Considering it's no small feat of optics, electricity and mechanics, NASA and the nonprofit Spaceward Foundation are hosting the first-ever competitions this weekend offering $50,000 to teams with the best design of robot climber and ribbon. The competition, to be held here at NASA's Ames Research Center, is merely a conceptual demonstration of the space elevator.

"It's far out for us, but we're very interested in the technologies involved," said Brant Sponberg, NASA project manager for the "centennial challenges," a series of government-sponsored competitions that support space exploration. Sponberg was overseeing setup and tests of the competition on Friday.

The "Beam Power" Challenge, which will kick off Saturday at 5 a.m. PST, will test the design and efficiency of robot climbers, machines that can ascend and descend a 50-meter tether ribbon while carrying a payload.

Seven teams from the United States and Canada will get three chances to climb the ribbon, having to travel at a minimum speed of 1 meter per second. For each climb, teams get a score that's a product of their payload mass and average velocity. The team with the highest score will win $50,000.

http://news.com.com/NASA+hosting+spa...7569&subj=news
NASA hosting space elevator competition | CNET News.com

[foxyloxley]

A RIBBON from here to the MOON ..........

I thought the moon rotated around the earth on a 28 day cycle ????
Does this mean we'll all end up living on the biggest maypole in the universe

[|3lack|ce]

Concur Fox - to a space station in synchronous orbit it would be (theoretically) possible to extend an elevator that high, however with shifting weather patterns and high winds, I wouldn't risk riding it...

[Aspman]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fountains_of_Paradise

[The Texan]

What if the elevator got stuck? would it have "floors" like an office building? i can just imagine it: call from elevator to techies "Um we are stuck on floor 20,000 can you help us? Techies- " God darn those office dwelling hippies! they ALWAYS get stuck way up there and its my lunch break bob!

[Egaladeist]

Hi The Texan,

Stairs!

Eg

[The Texan]

stairs to floor 20,000 would get all the mcdonald's raised Americans in shape lol

[RoadClosed]

I don't even think one to synchronous orbit is "really" possible. At least not for a while. It defitely would be cool to ride a "car" to the moon though.

[RoadClosed]

would it have "floors" like an office building?

I know your joking but take a ball and tie a 3 foot string to it and then spin around really fast. The ball and string is the elevator and your hand is the earth, so keep it still and imagine that thing flinging through the atmosphere at around 1,000 miles per hour.

//EDIDT BTW, I think this competition is excellent.

[The Texan]

So Road, your saying its a Tether ball like concept? btw i was poking fun but i really think this is a cool idea too.