On the website of the Japan Space Elevator Association (JSEA), I noticed a mention of LASER ’09 – a competition scheduled for later this year in Japan.
I emailed Shuichi Ohno, President of the JSEA, and asked him for more information about this competition. Mr. Hideyuki Natsume, the Director of LASER ’09, kindly responded with these details:
LASER’09 (LEGO bricks Activity and Space Elevator Race 2009)
- Date: November 3rd, 10:00am-16:00pm
- Place: Tokyo International Exchange Center, Japan (http://www.jasso.go.jp/tiec/index_e.html)
- Contents: LEGO-climber race, LEGO-SE design contest, Exhibition, and more.
- Host: Japan Space Elevator Association <JSEA>(http://jsea.jp/) and Nihon University
The Space Elevator (SE) has become a hot topic recently to those who are interested in Space Travel and Exploration. But it is difficult for children to know about the mechanism of the Space Elevator. LASER will sponsor the opportunity for the young people “to know about SE”, “interest to science”, and “pleasure to make” using the LEGO bricks loved by children. The participation of about 30 teams which consisted of school students is scheduled for this event.
- Each team will produce a Climber made of LEGO bricks.
- Participants will compete to see whose remote controlled Climber is the fastest to ascend the 25mm wide, 5m long polyester-tether which is hung from ceiling.
Contact information: For additional details, please contact executive committee of LASER (Team LASER at laser@jsea.jp)
30 teams? Wow – that will be quite the competition. I look forward to a report and pictures from the event.
(The picture thumbnails are of two LEGO Climbers – click on them for a (slightly) larger version. “LEGO is a trademark of the LEGO Group and hereby used with special permission. ©The LEGO Group.”)
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