Monthly Archives: June 2025

Elevating Ideas: Highlights from the June ISEC Newsletter

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Just a quick note to let all my readers know that the June issue of the ISEC Newsletter has just been released.

One article that stood out to me was the conclusion of the Solar System Space Elevators series by Peter Robinson. In past newsletters, Peter has been systematically examining most of the major objects in the solar system to see how feasible they might be to deploy a space elevator on. It’s been a very interesting study, and he wraps it here.

Also included is an article by Adrian Nixon & Blaise Gassend about how a graphene-based tether would stand up to micro-meteorite strikes. Past literature I’ve seen on this has focused on carbon-nanotube based tethers, so this is an interesting addition.

Finally, ISEC has announced the upcoming Space Elevator Conference, taking place virtually this year on September 6th and 7th. The virtual format is designed to better accommodate international attendees. Keep an eye on this page for updates and registration details when they become available.

Of course, there’s lots of other great content in the newsletter as always.

👉 Read the latest newsletter here
👉 Browse the full archive here

Want to get future issues delivered straight to your inbox? Visit the ISEC website, scroll to the bottom, and sign up using the newsletter form.

Happy reading!

Introducing WSPEC

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The World Space Elevator Competitions has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?

Introducing WSPEC – Mordy Friedman, organizer of these new games, sent me this document explaining what WSPEC is about and what it intends to do. Summarizing:

The World Space Elevator Competitions (WSPEC) is a global non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the technologies necessary to make space elevators a reality, thereby enabling more accessible and sustainable space exploration. Through international competitions like the Climber and Power Beaming challenges, WSPEC encourages innovation in fields such as robotics, tether design, and wireless power transmission, engaging students and enthusiasts worldwide. Building on the legacy of earlier space elevator contests, WSPEC aims to unify and expand these efforts, fostering collaboration, education, and scientific progress. With a strong focus on STEAM outreach and practical problem-solving, the organization views the pursuit of a space elevator not only as a visionary goal but also as a catalyst for technological breakthroughs that can benefit humanity, regardless of whether the elevator is ever built. WSPEC invites individuals and organizations to support its mission through sponsorship, team formation, or advisory roles.

Read the document to get the full picture.

Mordy also wanted me to let everyone know that WSPEC will have a table with ISEC at the upcoming ISDC. being held from June 19-22 in Orlando, Florida. They’ll be displaying some of the JSETEC climbers and would love to connect with anyone who will be there.

Be there or be square!

Update: 13Jun2025 – If you want to get in touch with the WSPEC team, please contact Mordy at mordy@wspec.org.

Picture credits:

Tether and Climber from Family Science Fest event at the 2012 Space Elevator Conference in Seattle, Washington.