NASA and
the Spaceward Foundation Hold Space Elevator Challenge
From 21 to 24 October, eleven teams competed in NASA's Beam
Power Challenge for a chance at a $50,000 NASA Centennial
Challenge prize. The competition was organized by the Spaceward
Foundation, NASA's partner in the Challenge, and held at NASA's
Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California. The objective
was to send a light-powered robot at least 50 meters (164
feet) up a ribbon in less than 50 seconds when powered only
by light from a 10,000-watt industrial searchlight suspended
over the top of the ribbon. Photographs of the event are available
here.
There was no winner, but the competition
demonstrated that amateur scientists, university students
and corporations have all managed to make important baby steps
in the long road to the dream of achieving an operational
Space Elevator.
A robot built by the University of Saskatchewan
Space Design Team reached 12 meters (40 feet), the highest
point along the ribbon but only 24 percent of the goal.
Nevertheless, Spaceward Foundation founder Metzada Shelef
said, "What happened this weekend is akin to the Wright brothers'
first powered flight. We hope these short climbs will be the
first in a series of much longer climbs toward future space
elevator concepts. The ingredients are there to make some
great future achievements."
In a NASA
media release, Brant Sponberg, NASA's Centennial Challenges
program manager, said, "The diversity of the teams, representing
small businesses, university students, and enthusiastic hobbyists,
and the range of their technical solutions, exceeded my expectations.
This is especially impressive when you realize the teams had
only six months to prepare. Even if a space elevator is never
built, these are fundamental technologies with important applications
both within and outside space exploration."
Amateur scientists take note: NASA will offer a $200,000 prize
for next year's Beam Power Challenge. Information is available
at the Centennial
Challenges and Spaceward
web sites.
Forrest M. Mims III 
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