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There have been several news reports recently (a few of them are here<\/a>, here<\/a>, and here<\/a>) about the\u00a0unmanned ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization)\u00a0mission to the moon,\u00a0Chandrayaan-1<\/a>.\u00a0 This mission is designed, among other tasks, to more thoroughly map the moon.\u00a0 A dozen instruments are on board; half from ISRO and half from other countries.\u00a0 What does this have to do with a Space Elevator?\u00a0 It’s just another step in the maturation of the Indian Space Program and India, as I have written before (here<\/a> and here<\/a>) is a prime candidate to actually ‘do it’ when it comes to building a Space Elevator (IMHO, of course)…<\/p>\nI have already commented<\/a> on the incredible amount of press generated by the\u00a0Times Online\u00a0story<\/a> saying that the Japanese have now begun\u00a0work on building a Space Elevator (oh, if it were only true).\u00a0 However, one blog post<\/a>\u00a0about this (from The Rogues Gallery) is worth commenting on.\u00a0 The author states that whoever builds the first space elevator “owns space – game over<\/em>.”\u00a0 I must disagree.\u00a0 Let’s assume that my prediction<\/a> of a Dubai-India Joint Venture comes true and they go out and build the first one.\u00a0 Does this mean that the US (or the Russians) couldn’t go out and build one themselves?\u00a0 They certainly could.\u00a0 It would be expensive (I don’t know if Dubai-India would sell space on their Elevator for a competitor), but we could certainly do it.\u00a0 And if we Americans built one first?\u00a0 The Russians (or Chinese or whoever) could build one for national security concerns.\u00a0 The cost of building one of these ($10 Billion?) is a lot of money, but there are several entities with this kind of resources.\u00a0 So, building one of these gives you a leg up, that’s for sure – but ‘game over’?\u00a0 I don’t think so…<\/p>\n More bits ‘n pieces tomorrow…<\/p>\n![](\"\/media\/tn_TheSpeculistLogo.jpg\")
The Speculist<\/a> is running a competition to, well, let them tell you: “As we announced on the most recent edition of <\/em>FastForward Radio<\/em><\/font><\/a>, we will be awarding the presidential candidate who outlines the most speculicious program — that is, the plan with the most Speculist appeal — with a FastForward Radio coffee mug…And a reminder to both Senator Obama and Senator McCain — if either happen to be reading this — any use by either of you of the phrase “space elevator” ought to just about clinch this thing. So don’t be shy<\/em>.”<\/p>\n![](\"\/media\/tn_BubblegumCrisis.jpg\")
<\/a>Finally (for today, anyway), the TV Tropes Wiki<\/a> has a list of places where the Space Elevator has appeared in fiction.\u00a0 There are several I’ve not heard of (my favorite is “Bubblegum Crisis”) and, will give me something else to look at in my ‘spare’ time…<\/p>\n