2007 Update

Many thanks to everyone who contributed to the successful qualification of the StarClimber Space Elevator Team this past year. For 2007, I've decided not to make an independent run at the Centennial Challenge prize. The increasing complexity and expense of the space elevator competition demands a larger team than I can currently muster.

I'd be glad to consider a cooperative effort if your team is looking for an additional member. I have some recent work on collimated beam sources and beam tracking systems that I'd be happy to contribute, and two years of contest experience, contacts, etc. If you're interested, contact me at starclimber05 {at} gmail.com --Matt

A vision is becoming reality

What if humankind had the capability to transport cargo into space much more safely and at a fraction of the expense of rocket launches? What if satellites, supplies and even astronauts could be gently carried into earth orbit and beyond on an ultra-light, ultra-strong ribbon?

This scenario is possible with a space elevator, first envisioned in the late 1800s and popularized by author Arthur C. Clarke.

The competition

Space enthusiasts, academics, and industry are coming together to attempt to bring Clarke's idea to fruition. Spaceward Foundation and NASA held the first Beam Power and Tether Competitions in October, 2005, and the second in 2006. The next competitions are scheduled for October, 2007. We're bringing our prototype to compete in the Beam Power event, which requires an autonomous robot vehicle to climb nearly 200 feet of ribbon in less than a minute, with no battery or fuel tank, powered only by a beam of light (or beamed microwaves, lasers, etc.)

Our 2006 strategy

The key to building a successful space elevator climber is producing maximum power output at minimum weight. Imagine carrying a bucket of payload up a 200 foot ladder; any weight reduction looks pretty good. In order to minimize weight, we're using thin-film silicon solar cells to generate electrical power, ordered from our friends at Big Frog Mountain. They gave us an excellent price, and have been extremely helpful in providing specifications, giving options, and expediting our order.

The thin-film cells are sturdy, flexible, and lightweight, with a feel similar to laminated index cards. This flexibility lets us use an extremely lightweight supporting structure, modeled on a twelve-foot diamond kite with fabric surfaces replaced by spiderweb for improved airflow cooling and reduced wind resistance. The bigger the collector area, the more power we can generate. Struts for the supporting structure are made from fiberglass and carbon fiber composite.

Electrical power from the cells flows to a compact and efficient DC motor and gearbox taken from a cordless drill. The drill chuck turns a gear, which rotates a set of rubber-coated rollers which grip the ribbon and provide traction for the ascent.

Please read on to find out more about who we are, the science of space elevators, and what you can do to support the development of this exciting technology!

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