NASA has again thrown down a $2-million space elevator challenge
that Scotty of Star Trek fame would relish. Three teams must
somehow move vehicles up a 1-kilometer tether by using only
energy beamed to the vehicle from the ground. Space elevators
have long bedazzled scientists and science fiction writers as a
way to cheaply move cargo and humans to low-Earth orbit. Many
concepts envision giant tethers attached from the ground to
orbital platforms, which robotic vehicles can use to move up and
down. The latest space elevator (or power beaming) challenge is
scheduled for Wednesday, November 4. All the contestant teams
have settled on lasers to beam power up to the vehicles climbing
ever higher on their tethers. Helicopters have already begun
practicing how to hover in place and hold the kilometer-long
tethers for contestants. The competitors include: Lasermotive,
an "industry" team led by laser expert Jordin Kare and based in
Seattle; USST, a highly professional university student team
from Saskatoon, Canada t