Recently in Spaceward Games 2008 Category

From the Spaceward Foundation comes details from this years power beaming challenge. The Spaceward Foundation announces the goals for the 2008 Space Elevator Power Beaming Challenge.

"Building on the results of the 2007 Challenge, the goals for 2008 have been set at 1 km height, 5 m/s minimum speed, for a prize level of $2M.

An intermediate prize level of $900k will be given for a speed of 2 m/s. Additionally, teams that can reach an altitude of 1 km at between 1 and 2 m/s will be awarded a prize of up to $50k.

The 1-km climb will be supported by a unique pyramid-anchored balloon system, providing the teams with a stable tether to climb on. Illustrations of the challenge over two potential sites are shown at www.spaceward.org/elevator2010-pb.html, showing the challenge as it would look if held over Meteor Crater in Arizona, and if held over the 2007 venue."

• Read the complete press release
• Discuss the Spaceward 2008 Games in the new On Orbit Space Elevator Forum

Happy New Year everyone! I received this update from Ben Shelef yesterday, enjoy.

----------

Hello folks, and Happy New Year!

It's been a while since our last newsletter - seems that whenever something's going on in Space Elevator land, we're always too busy to write. :) Two months after the 2007 games, this is a good time to briefly reflect on this past year, and update you on our next steps for '08 and beyond.

In this newsletter:

A look back at 2007
A preview of our plans for 2008
A new partner
Carbon Nanotube news
2007:

For those who missed the real-time action, the official wrap-up of the 2007 Spaceward Games is posted online at www.spaceward.org/games07Wrapup.html. As usual, you can re-live the day-by-day coverage at the archives at Ted Semon's Space Elevator Blog and Marc Boucher's Space Elevator Reference.

The most significant result of the 2007 games, however, is not measured in units such as kilograms or in meters per second. What we saw in 2007 was a huge leap in the level of technology fielded by the teams. In particular, our two laser-based teams, USST and LaserMotive, designed and built complex advanced systems worthy of an aerospace project, and have acquired a set of capabilities that attracted industry interest to our competition. In terms of fulfilling the charter of the games, we could not have asked for more.

Looking back, you may remember that Space Elevator games did not exist before 2005. Unlike our role models – Solar car races and rocketry clubs, we did not have a rich tradition of games spanning tens of years to rely on. We started practically from scratch, and we are immensely proud of how our teams have grown.

Having wrapped up the games, our next order of business was charting the course for 2008. The immediate choices we looked at were keeping the challenge goals the same as in '07, doubling the speed or height requirements, or doubling both. However, after gathering feedback from existing and potential teams, the Space Elevator community, and relevant industry experts, we decided to go for something a bit more grandiose...

2008:

In broad strokes, the goal of the Space Elevator games is to bring the Space Elevator closer to reality. The goal of the power beaming challenge is to promote power beaming technology. We think that the time is ripe now to move the competition to the next level, addressing real-world power beaming scenarios where the minimum requirements for such systems start at the km range and kWatt power levels.

Although LaserMotive had a rough outing at the 2007 Spaceward Games they have garnered the continuing support of Andrews Space, Inc. of Seattle as mentioned in a press release last week . Andrews contributed the Rapid Prototyping Laboratory (ARPL) for LaserMotive to conduct laser testing and other system assembly requirements.

Andrews Chief Technology Officer Dana Andrews said, “LaserMotive had a promising start this year, and we expect them to come back strong next year in the 2008 competition. We believe their concept is the right approach to powering a planetary-scale elevator.”