It was, to say the least, the most exciting of the Space Elevator Games to date, and what's more, NASA now has to write a check in the amount of $900,000 to Lasermotive of Seattle for winning the 1st level prize.
Lasermotive of Seattle on Friday tried to win an additional $1.1 million in prize money after already winning at least a share of the level 1 prize money of $900,000 earlier this week, but their last climb attempt ran into technical issues and they called it quits for the competition.
The Kansas City Space Pirates are the lone remaining team with an opportunity this afternoon to try and win some prize money after the University of Saskatchewan Space Design Team (USST) failed to win anything earlier today.
If the Kansas City Space Pirates can't qualify for prize money on their last attempt then Lasermotive will win the $900,000 level 1 prize outright.
Early this morning University of Saskatchewan Space Design Team (USST) had one last chance to get in the prize money. After a series of technical issues it was hoped they would put in a good climb this morning. Unfortunately it was not meant to be. They could not solve technical issues and are done for the competition.
Related: University of Saskatchewan Space Design Team Competes Valiantly at NASA's Power Beaming Challenge
The NASA sponsored Power Beaming Challenge, also known as the Space Elevator Games, is guaranteed to give out some prize money this year after a stellar performance by Team Lasermotive in the first day of the competition.
For Lasermotive of Seattle, It was their first attempt of the day and they accomplished what they never could before. And that was actually climbing the complete length of a tether in competition. And what a run it was. With their attempt they qualified for at least a share of the 1st level prize money of $900,000.
The 2009 Space Elevator Games underway with the Kansas City Pirates the first team to compete this morning. Unfortunately their morning effort did not qualify them for any of the prizes.
This afternoon the team out of Seattle, Lasermotive is attempting to get some prize money. You can watch the event live.
Here's a story from AP on this morning's try by the Kansas City Space Pirates.
There is less then one week to go before the 2009 NASA sponsored Power Beaming Centennial Challenge, AKA the Space Elevator Games, with up to $2,000,000 in prize money gets underway.
Ben Shelef of the SpaceWard Foundation reports that he has secured a date for this years Power Beaming Challenge AKA the Space Elevator Games with up to $2,000,000 in NASA Centennial Challenge prize money at stake now that the previous technical issues have been resolved. Three teams have qualified for the games with a fourth attempting to qualify. It appears that this time around someone will win at least level 2 in prize money. The competition is scheduled for the week of November 2 at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base near Mojave, California.
Recently Ben Shelef led a team of volunteers to the selected testing grounds near Olympia, Washington for the second round of testing for the helicopter - cable system for the games. In the first test they used a 1000' cable and in the second test they used a 4300' cable system. This second test was a general rehearsal for the games and was successful.
The test was conducted using a GPS hover-aid for the helicopter and the new Virtual Bob (R) motion-arrestor system along with a battery powered climber.
At this point with all the big issues resolved the Space Elevator Games appear to be a go. A date needs to be set and Ben is working with the venue, most likely NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, to get dates. I assume a test of the new improved system will need to be conducted at Dryden before the official competition is to start.
Ben Shelef reports on the 2009 Space Elevator Games blog that good progress is being made with respect to a new helicopter operator in Washington State and the GPS system. A test of the system this past Saturday was nominal.
NASA today posted this notice. I'm not sure if the venue has been officially secured yet but here's what was released:
NOTICE: (09-012).ACTION: Notice of Centennial Challenges 2009 Power Beaming and Tether Challenges.
SUMMARY: This notice is issued in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 2459f-1(d). The 2009 Power Beaming and Tether Challenges are now scheduled and teams that wish to compete may now register. The NASA Centennial Challenges Program is a program of prize contests to stimulate innovation and competition in space exploration and ongoing NASA mission areas. The 2009 Power Beaming Challenge is a prize contest designed to promote the development of new power distribution technologies. The 2009 Tether Challenge is a prize contest designed to develop very strong tether material for use in various structural applications. The Spaceward Foundation is administering both Challenges for NASA.
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