2007 Space Elevator Games – (Entry 74)

Snakebit,

Snakebit, snakebit, snakebit…

USST had mounted their Climber on the ribbon.  They were getting ready to start their run when the ribbon snapped AGAIN, this time from the top (the last time was from the bottom).

The picture shows the USST climber with the snapped ribbon draped over it.  Fortunately no one was hurt.

We don’t know what happened.  This Siegling ribbon is rated at 4,500 lbs.  The maximum pressure put on it was 500-1,000 pounds.  Maybe the ribbon is old or defective.  Maybe the constant twisting, twisting, twisting it underwent over this last 9 days proved too much.  Maybe its something else entirely (sabotage from Skronk & Greezle?)

Whatever it is, it looks the competition is over for now.  Spaceward is going to get together with the NASA representative and probably the USST team captain and decide what to do.

Major, major bummer…

As new information appears, I’ll keep you all posted.

2 thoughts on “2007 Space Elevator Games – (Entry 74)

  1. Geoff Giffin

    I’m not sure where you get the 500-1000lb pressure on the ribbon from. When I spoke to the crane driver just before the UBC-Snowstar run on Sunday morning, he was measuring 2900 lbs of weight on the top of his unit. I would assume that most of that was being borne by the riibbon.

    Geoff

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