More views of the NSS Testing…

Over at the official site of the Space Elevator Games, Ben Shelef has posted his video / picture ‘montage’ of the NSS climber ‘melt test’.  Very cool post, but I deny that the ‘maniacal laughter’ that Ben attributes to me on a previous post of mine was caused by me.  While I was recording the test, I just heard this spooky laughter and my video camera picked it up.  Really.  Truly.  I swear…

And I have one more video I’d like to share with you.  The laser was not aimed directly at the bottom of the climber but rather at the NSS mirror which reflected the beam upwards to the bottom of the climber.  By standing directly behind the laser beam source and looking into the mirror, I was able to make this video.  You can clearly see the solar cells being illuminated by the Climber as well as the acetone boiling.  And, if you look at the plastic bags, you can see them flexing as the acetone vapor ascends into the bag and then condenses.

Yes, I was being illuminated by the reflection of the laser and, of course I (and everyone else) was wearing safety glasses.  I did get a bit warm after a while and had to move back a bit, but was in no real danger as long as I kept my safety glasses on.

1 comment October 20th, 2009