2007 Space Elevator Games – (Entry 17)

The Technology Tycoons showed up today, the 7th team (of the 8 we are expecting) to arrive.  This is the team which, last year, was known as “Lite Won”.  They are from Campbell High School located in, oddly enough, Campbell, California.

Even though they were the “youngest” (in terms of chronological age of the team members) to compete last year, their performance was most impressive, being beaten out by only USST.  I expect no less from them this year.

Last year, their array was directly powered by the sun.  Their solar-cell array was facing upwards, using direct sun power (as opposed to the Kansas City Space Pirates which used redirected solar power).  NASA has decreed that this will not be allowed this year as it is not “beam technology” (NASA is interested in the beam technology advances these games will show, not a Space Elevator per se.  See my previous posting on this subject).

This year, they have just turned their solar cell array upside down.  They will be reflecting sunlight onto it with several (10, I think) hand-held, 4’x8′ mirrors.  When I asked them how they will be able to know that their mirrors are actually hitting the array, they told me that they will just “follow the ribbon” all the way up.  I think they’re being overly-optimistic, but we’ll see.  After their performance last year, I’m not counting them out at all.  I suggested to them that they get the KC Space Pirates permission to use their balloon to practice targeting the mirrors.

Here are two videos showing them assembling their climber.  Their solar array is of the “roll-up” variety, custom made for them by a company called Power Film (http://www.powerfilmsolar.com/) out of Aimes, Iowa.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Po6lf-DnJ8[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9aIB5Dv7Yc[/youtube]