Daily Archives: February 26, 2007

Twenty-two teams now registered for the 2007 Space Elevator Games

Yet one more team has passed the financial and paperwork hurdles and is now officially registered for the 2007 Space Elevator Games.  Two teams are in the tether competition (we need more!!!), three teams are in the Limited Lifter/Power Beaming competition and fully seventeen teams are now signed up for the $$$ Lifter/Power Beaming competition.

In perusing the team web sites, I came across the attached picture – I’m not sure if this is a nose acting as a tie point for two tethers or what, but it’s cool nonetheless…

Click on the picture for a (slightly) larger version…

Early Space Elevators

This “future history” description of (eventually) four space elevators being built is, IMHO, quite interesting.  It also shows how technology can quickly change things.  The Space Elevators described in this 2003 web piece are 1) land-based, 2) were not launched for a long time after the technology was available because of the “cost of transporting the vast mass required” and 3) the fear of equatorial countries of having “thousands of kilometers of cable falling on their heads”.  All of this thinking has changed, of course, thanks to Dr. Edwards and his cohorts…

Click on the picture or visit the website for a larger version…