Mountain View, CA – Spaceward Foundation will be hosting the first Space Elevator Competition at the NASA Ames Research Center October 21st through the 23rd. Also known as the Space Elevator Games, the event consists of two competitions with prize money furnished by the NASA Centennial Challenges program. Teams from universities and industry around the country are entered in the competitions.
Special media briefings and demonstrations will be held on Friday, October 21st. Press access to the teams prior to and during the event can be arranged in advance. More details will be made available prior to the event.
The space elevator concept was first introduced in 1960 and has only recently garnered serious attention due to advances in materials and power transfer technologies. If built, a Space Elevator would provide a safe, low cost, way to launch payloads such as satellites into orbit.
The two competitions focus on the development of lightweight yet strong tether materials (Tether Challenge) and wireless power transmission technologies (Beam Power Challenge), two of the key technologies required to build a space elevator. The Tether Challenge will test the strength and weight of carbon nanotube based materials, a recently discovered material. The Beam Power challenge will feature climbers attempting to scale a 200 foot tether powered by a high intensity light source.
NASA’s Centennial Challenges program promotes technical innovation through a novel program of prize competitions. It is designed to tap the nation’s ingenuity to make revolutionary advances to support the Vision for Space Exploration and NASA goals.
The Spaceward Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the cause of space access in educational curriculums and the public mindshare.
For more information on the Space Elevator Competition, visit: http://www.elevator2010.org
For more information about Centennial Challenges, visit: http://centennialchallenges.nasa.gov
