A
private group has taken one small step toward the prospect of building a
futuristic space elevator.
LiftPort Group Inc., of Bremerton, Washington, has
successfully tested a robot climber - a novel piece of hardware that reeled
itself up and down a lengthy ribbon dangling from a high-altitude balloon.
The
test run, conducted earlier this week, is seen as a precursor experiment
intended to flight validate equipment and methods to construct a space
elevator. This visionary concept would make use of an ultra-strong carbon
nanotube composite ribbon stretching some 62,000
miles (100,000 kilometers) from Earth into space.
The
space elevator would be anchored to an offshore sea platform near the equator
in the Pacific Ocean. At the other end in space, the ribbon would be attached
to a small counterweight. Mechanical "lifters" -- robotic elevator cars --
would move up and down the ribbon, carrying such items as satellites, solar
power systems, and eventually people into space.
LiftPort's plan is to take the concept from the
research laboratory to commercial development.
Robot lifter
"We
were very pleased with the test," said Michael Laine,
President of the LiftPort Group. "It worked really
well," he told SPACE.com.
The
assessment of flight hardware took place September 20 at an undisclosed
location in eastern Washington. Due to the experimental nature of the
equipment, actual whereabouts of the test site can't be revealed, primarily due
to safety reasons, Laine said.
"If
our 23-pound (10.5-kilogram) robot falls from the ribbon...we don't want
spectators to be in the way as it makes a couple thousand dollar crater," Laine explained.
This
week's testing involved a 12-foot (4-meter) diameter balloon. Safety lines held
by team members kept the balloon from floating away. The ribbon dangling from
the balloon was made of composite fiberglass, with the robot lifter running up
and down the tether.
"This
lifter is much smarter than our previous versions. It's our 18th version," he
said, with the Mark VII robot named 'Sword over Damocles' or 'sword' for short.
The "belt driven" robot is battery-powered, featuring two motors and an
expanded cargo area due to increased intelligence built into the device, he
said.
Goal in sight
During
the day, the highest altitude reached by the balloon/ribbon/robot combination
was 1,000 feet (305 meters). "It gives us complete confidence that the mile
goal is well within reach," Laine said.
Laine said that the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) has been very supportive and helpful in orchestrating
their test flights.
"We
are cleared up to one mile high, off of a tethered helium balloon," Laine said. "Our series of tests are designed to gain in
altitude as we go, as we test our communications, range sensors, global
positioning system satellite gear, along with temperature and camera
systems."
Miles to go
Further
experiment dates have not been pinpointed as yet, although the weather in the
area will play a key factor.
"We
have a fairly open window to do more tests," Laine
said. "We've probably got another month or so if we're going to do it here in
Washington State."
Other
options are being looked at, such as staging LiftPort
hardware tests from Denver, Colorado, as well as Northern California, he added.
Laine and his space elevator team know that they
have miles to go - literally - before a space elevator can be shown to be
workable.
"But
the test was a step in the right direction," Laine
said. "It shows that our hardware design is valid."
LiftPort has been busy at work on the space
elevator idea for over two years.
Furthermore,
the company has created LiftPort Nanotech in
Millville, New Jersey. That company is delving into mass production of nanotubes, focused on creating super-strong materials,
"because, ultimately, that's what leads to a long and strong ribbon in the
sky," Laine said.
"We're
not a PowerPoint company anymore...we're a hardware company," Laine
concluded.
Challenges ahead
In
a related development, the Spaceward Foundation of Mountain View, California
has announced the First Annual Space Elevator Competition, to be held October
21 at NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley.
Two
competitions are being held: The "Tether Challenge" and "Beam Power Challenge".
These are 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. The Beam Power challenge will
feature climbers attempting to scale a 200-foot (61-meter) tether powered by a
high intensity light source.
Prize
money is furnished by the NASA Centennial Challenges
program. Teams from universities and industry around the country have entered
into the competitions.
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