So, one of the criteria for winning, assuming that a Climber can make the ascent in the required minimum time, is how much payload the climber carries – it figures into the prize-winning calculation.

Given that we have three teams here, and that the rules for payload are very lax (basically, nothing that has or has had a heartbeat), it is to be expected that each team will be a bit creative in deciding what they will use for payload.

The Kansas City Space Pirates are using BB’s – weighed into bags.  The picture shows KCSP team member Frank Smith weighing the BB’s – different bags for different weights.  Rumor has it that they also maybe using Susan B. Anthony Dollars too, if they get very confident…

Team LaserMotive is using Poker Chips.  As a big fan of Texas Hold’em (yes, I admit it, I watch them play cards on TV), I am particularly fond of this solution.  And as team member Jordin Kare (shown holding the Poker chips) said to me; “If we don’t win the prize money in the climb, perhaps we can win it playing cards“.

Finally there is USST.  They are as usual, very tight-lipped about this.  They tell me that they haven’t worried about carrying payload, just about making 5 meters/second.  Yeah, right, sure…  This picture shows some of their team members looking around for something – perhaps it’s their payload…