ISEC Press Announcement

This morning, the International Space Elevator Consortium (ISEC) sent out it’s first press release, basically saying “Hey world – we’re here!”.  The real fun is going to start over the next several weeks.  We’ve been working hard behind the scenes to set up our plans for 2009.  I don’t want to prematurely mention anything specific now – but rest assured that we will be doing concrete work to further efforts in getting a Space Elevator built and we’re going to have fun along the way.  Stay tuned!

I encourage all of you to visit the ISEC web site (http://www.isec.info) to sign up for our newsletter.

Here is the press release:

Leading Players in the Space Elevator Movement Join Together to Form New International Consortium

New Independent Group to Foster Global Research, Develop International Standards and Serve as a Worldwide Information Exchange on the Space Elevator

Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. (December 22, 2008) – A coalition of leaders in the Space Elevator movement today announced the formation of The International Space Elevator Consortium (ISEC), a new independent group designed to promote standards and foster research relating to the construction of an Elevator to Space at the global level.

Founding members of ISEC include the Spaceward Foundation, the Space Elevator Reference, the Space Elevator Blog, EuroSpaceward and the Japan Space Elevator Association.  Heading the new organization is Ted Semon of the Space Elevator Blog, who will serve as president.

According to the Consortium, the goal of ISEC is to promote the development, construction and operation of the Space Elevator as a revolutionary and efficient way to space for all humanity.  The group will accomplish this through these key areas:

– Development of a unified plan and roadmap for the Space Elevator and the coordinated assignment of specific research topics
– Funding of research on technologies relevant to the Space Elevator
– Development of the international legal framework necessary for the operation of the Space Elevator
– Global public outreach and central information exchange on Space Elevator activities

The Space Elevator is a project whose time has come,” said Semon.  “With the challenges facing today’s global economy, it is clear that new industries and new ideas are needed to help our planet in the 21st Century.  The Space Elevator can be a key positive contributor, from providing inexpensive nanotechnology material science breakthroughs that will make your car stronger and lighter, to the creation of new industries that offer opportunities for investment and job creation.  The International Space Elevator Consortium devoted to its development can make this happen.”

ISEC will be unveiling additional plans and details in the upcoming weeks, including a board of directors, technical journals, university and industry relationships, research opportunities and scholarships.  Memberships will be available on the individual, corporate, academic and governmental levels.

Headquartered in the greater Los Angeles area, center of the aerospace industry, the International Space Elevator Consortium (ISEC) is a non-profit organization devoted to the research and construction of an Elevator to Space.  For more information please visit www.isec.info.

For more information please contact:

Ted Semon
ISEC
1-630-240-4797
ted [at] spaceelevatorblog.com

Belinda Young
BYPR
1-206-932-3145
byoung [at] bypr.com

2 thoughts on “ISEC Press Announcement

  1. Johny Jagannath

    Hello,

    I’m writing this email let you know about a device that I thought of a few years ago. Little did I know at the time when I thought of this device that there was a project called Space Elevator and that, it was being worked on (pretty diligently). I only found about this a few days ago on a Science Chat Forum.

    My device (The Space Generator) is somewhat related to the space elevator, in that, it may turn out to be crucial to the overall efficient functioning of the Space Elevator concept.

    The link below shows a crude diagram of the device.

    http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=Pq2QIgL0

    The Space Generator works only in a “zero gravity” environment. The device will not only produce electricity for the climbers (via the ribbon), but can also produce electricity for consumption on the Earth.

    My device can act as the counter-weight that is needed for the Space Elevator to work.

    The Space Generator idea is really simple. There are two coils that are mechanically coupled. And the two fields (see the diagram), will run in opposite directions so that the current producing coils remain stationary while electricity is drawn from the set up. Note that all the moving parts in my device don’t touch anything. Meaning there is no mechanical friction.

    And using very large fly wheels in zero gravity will make sure that my device will be highly efficient compared to a similar generator on the earth.

    I’ve also posted this idea on the NovaScienceNow discussion board. [ http://discussions.pbs.org/viewtopic.pbs?t=106689 ]

    I feel that my device can contribute to the overall success of the Space Elevator by simply producing the electricity that is needed for the climbers. The climbers can therefore do away with the solar panels. This means, the climbers will be lighter and also can go much faster owing the Space Generator.

    I hope that my idea will be of some use to overall idea of the Space Elevator.

    Thank you,
    Johny.

  2. keith

    The ribbon’s simple deployment for more modest goals, would further jumpstart the grand construction of an elevator that would follow. Modest needs that would require only current ribbon strength availability.Some examples to throw out there:1). Super antenna.2). Conduit support for harnessing Ionospheric power sources.3). Simple Hydraulic Ram Pump for injecting water into an orbital reservoir.http://spaceflightsystems.grc.nasa.gov/WaterBalloon/#AIRPLANE(Note how ruptured water balloon in low gravity tends toward gravitational stability). Addition of ribbon support framework (surrounding and containing reservoir) could act as cheap counterweight to ribbon structure. Besides the obvious advantages of having access to such a supply, is water’s ability to shield from harmful rays present.

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