And, no sooner than I put up a post about the National Space Society (NSS) reaching an agreement with TRUMPF to use their lasers, I get this email from David Nemir, the team leader of another new competitor, the TXL Group:

Hi Ted,

Team TXL is pleased to announce that TRUMPF Group will furnish the TXL laser powered beam source.   As the leading worldwide manufacturer of industrial lasers, TRUMPF Group represents a huge asset to TXL Group.    We applaud TRUMPF Group’s recognition of the importance of the space elevator.  We also applaud TRUMPF’s willingness to make such a significant investment in the Space Elevator Competition.

Yours truly,

TXL Group

David Nemir

This makes FOUR groups who have reached agreement with TRUMPF; the TXL Group, the National Space Society (NSS), the Kansas City Space Pirates and the Queens Space Engineering Team.  Add these four to the other two laser-powered teams, Lasermotive and USST, and you have at least six teams planning on powering their climbers with lasers this year.

Only 189 more days…