Video: Space Elevator Invades Conan O'Brien Show

(Hat Tip: The Space Elevator Blog)

The Space Elevator, a future technology that has the potential to revolutionize how humanity ventures beyond the sky was able to gain more public exposure thanks in part to the Kansas City Space Pirates (a team competing in the Elevator 2010 competition).

Congrats to Brian Turner for presenting the concept in a humerous, yet understandable manner (although it appears as if O'Brien did his homework regarding the space elevator).

Note: The Kansas City Space Pirates are looking for a few good sponsors, so if you have deep pockets (or just feel like helping them out) feel free to invest in their project.

Could An Orbital Space Elevator On Phobos Open Up Mars?

Like many of the worlds that orbit the Sol star, Mars has the potential to play a significant role in our future solar economy. The red planet could easily serve as a stepping stone towards humanity colonizing other worlds such as Ceres, Ganymede, and beyond.

But before we can dream about conquering this red gem, humanity may need to figure out how to land humans safely upon Mars, as the crimson planet's atmosphere may pose problems for future explorers.

If humanity is ever going to conquer Earth's favorite neighbor, then scientists are going to have to figure out a way to transport large payloads to the crimson world below.

Although a space elevator would compliment Martian colonies by providing a low cost method of delivering goods to the surface, such a structure would easily be destroyed by the red planet's global storms that dust the surface every three Martian years.

But despite the fact that constructing a space elevator upon Martian soil may be not be feasible, constructing an orbital one (that does not touch the ground) from the base of its nearest moon may not.

The moon Phobos orbits its guardian planet at less than 6,000 km, a distance that should be within easy range of any powerful rocket. With the red planet's atmosphere extending only to about 11 kilometers, a strong space tether could be constructed just above the clouds, allowing easy access for smaller space craft seeking easy access to the stars.

Another advantage an orbital "Phobian space elevator" would have is the availability of the space port towards the Martian masses. Phobos orbits its parent world in under eight hours, seeing up to three sunrises in an average Martian day.

Constructing an orbital space elevator from underneath this asteroid moon belly would enable colonists to have frequent access towards needed supplies off world, as well as a dependable quick exit if terraforming Mars takes a turn for the worse.

An orbital space elevator underneath Phobos could ultimately open up the crimson world towards human habitation, and allow us to not only land colonists upon this rusty world, but quickly transform Mars into a second home.

Note: Due to time constraints, images will be inserted later on in this post.

Update: Images added.

LiftPort Arising From The Ashes?

(Hat Tip: Space Elevator Blog)

(Image Credit: LiftPort)

LiftPort, a company dedicated to building the worlds first space elevator may be having a recent change of fortune. Having previously encountered what some would regard as a "mortal wound," it looks as if the company may be making a comeback after launching their sister company, Tethered Towers.

(Cosmic Log) "I've got four people I'm talking to right now as potential customers," he said. "Any one of them will be good. Two or three of them will put us in great shape. And I think that's just the beginning. I think we're going to be OK."

Laine declined to go into the detailed applications envisioned by his potential customers - or, more accurately, his potential strategic partners. But he said the business model called for balloon-borne platforms capable of staying up for three to 10 days. Such platforms could be used for aerial wireless communications during an emergency, or for aerial monitoring of a particular area.

"For example, if you want to monitor bison migration in Wyoming, you put a balloon up there and you can watch what's going on," he said. "We've talked about border security, things like that. ... We can't tackle all of [the potential applications], so what we're trying to do is find partners. Each of them have their own markets, they're not overlapping."

LiftPort is one of several companies striving to build a space elevator on (or orbiting) planet Earth. Although there are many other groups desiring to construct a "railroad to the stars," LiftPort is probably one of the few out there who seek to do this entirely in the private sector (as opposed to relying on NASA who does not seem too fond of the concept).

Hopefully LiftPort can arise from its financial ashes like a Phoenix, as its demise would be a devastating blow to the space elevator community.

Japan Catching Space Elevator Fever

Despite their recent setbacks in the public sector, it looks as if some Japanese citizens are taking it upon themselves to enable the masses to access the heavens.

(Space Elevator Blog) Today I heard back from Mr. Shiuchi Ohno, one of the founders of the newly formed Japan Space Elevator Association (JSEA). I had emailed them a few questions - here are his responses;

Q) How long has JSEA been in existence?
A) JSEA is an association just born in this month. We will have first meeting this weekend in Tokyo. Last year, my friend and I went to Seattle to meet Mr.Michael and Mr. Tomas of Liftport company. We proposed them to start Japanese branch. But they couldn't decide until now. Then we decided to start actual activity in Japan for the real SE.

Japan's entrance into the space elevator field should help spark some "friendly competition" between the samurai nation and the US, at least in the private sector.

Despite the fact that this organization is still in its infancy, the Japan Space Elevator Association should help broaden the international appeal of the concept, as well as encourage other countries to form clubs of their own.

Ted Semon has more over on his weblog regarding this organization, which will hopefully impact Japan as much as LiftPort has impacted the US.

Update: Related-Russia Today Examines Space Elevators (Video)

Is LiftPort Closing Shop?

For space elevator fans, this is very sad news indeed.

(Almost Girl) But today, roughly two hours before the panel, an obstacle was placed in Michael and Liftport’s path. Zealot that he is, even his belief and passion could not hold against this reality of finance. They lost their office space. The money ran out. And on Monday they will announce this fact.

I almost cried in sympathy as Michael described how this would impact not only Liftport but his personal life. He had no home, no place for his animals, no job, no source of income, and no place for his staff. A three million dollar building that held the hopes and dreams of more than just a few space crazies was taken away from a project that for better or worse is attempting to bring about a future I was weaned on. And a future I don't often get to remember in a day to day way and now perhaps will not see even in dreams anymore

No official word yet from LiftPort, although there seems to be hints of this over on their corporate blog.

Opinion: So what does a LiftPort's fate have to do with colonizing our solar system? For some, nothing (as rockets is their mode of travel) but for others it means a lot.

The largest hurdle with humanity colonizing our solar system can be boiled down to one word--cost. The cost of space is so high that only the wealthiest of the wealthy can afford to orbit our planet for a brief amount of time, let alone visit other worlds.

LiftPort's goal was to be the first company to construct a working space elevator, thus enabling humanity to not only construct solar powered satellites and rotating space stations, but also allow us to migrate the masses off world onto other worlds throughout our star system.

Although they are not the only company attempting to do this, LiftPort was one of the few companies who were willing to be "open and honest" about their situation, whether good or bad (a rare trait in the space industry).

Reducing the cost is a key factor in encouraging our population to live elsewhere, and the space elevator was one of the few technologies (along with maglev-rocket hybrids, magnetic sleds and nuclear propulsion) promising this.

If this is the end of our beloved space elevator company, then let it be known that these men and women dared to attempt the impossible, and were willing to stake their futures upon it. President Theodore Roosevelt sums it up the best by saying:

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.

God bless LiftPort, and I await the news of your fate.

(Image Credits: LiftPort.com)

Update: For some strange reason I'm receiving errors when I attempt to comment on LiftPort's post. Alas, I least I can still sing Lifter, Lifter, in the sky...

Artificial Gravity Via Space Elevator Stations

(Image Credit: David Mat, via LiftPort Gallery)

With humanity regaining their foothold among the stars, there seems to be much chatter regarding the possibility of orbital space stations circling our planet.

But in order for humanity to inhabit the heavens above us, we will need to find a way to create artificial gravity as the lack of it can have some nasty side affects upon the human body (thus banishing ourselves from large terrestrial worlds).

Constructing space elevator stations (provided that building space elevators is feasible) may not only be the answer towards us living among the stars, but also enable us to bring our animal friends with us as well.

One of the key elements keeping the space elevator "up" is centrifugal force. Often observed (or felt) when one rides in a car around a sharp turn, the centrifugal force at the top of a space elevator may provide enough "push" to simulate earthen gravity.

This would enable future space travelers to live within the space elevator station (which could also serve as a counterweight) for years without the fear of being stranded in space due to health reasons (via micro gravity).

Although some people have suggested building Goliath-sized rotating space stations, these space structures may end up transforming into an engineers nightmare as one would have to figure out how a shuttle could dock on the station without destroying it (let alone funding the project as space launches are not getting cheaper).

A space elevator station would probably provide a more reasonable approach as any space craft could dock onto the object without worrying about unnecessary twists and turns.

Despite the fact that current designs of the modern space elevator do not include a space elevator station as a counterweight, it would not be surprising to see one built on top of these future marvels. A space elevator station would definitely attract space tourists from around the globe as it would not only provide an impressive view of our own world, but also simulate earthen life within its environment.

Colony Worlds Round Up

Note: I have not been as faithful as I desired to in posting here (as life has been fairly busy) but these are some of the stories that may catch your eye regarding our future among the stars.

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Astroprof discusses the dangers of bone loss due to the lack of gravity in space.

Despite NASA's attempts at reducing the loss, the percentage rate exceeds that of a woman with osteoporosis, leading I. Tenor (a commenter) to conclude that exile from Earth may be the price we pay for colonizing the stars.

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Jack Kennedy from Spaceports discusses Matsen Space System's attempts at winning the Lunar Landing Analog Challenge later on this year.

There main competitors are Armadillo Aerospace and Blue Origin, who may put up some fierce competition.

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The Space Review has an article about finding life in the solar system. My views of this are fairly dim (as finding microbes does not help us reach the stars).

However, since scientists are looking for life near water ice, this research should prove quite useful in helping us locate future settlements as water is the main ingredient for life (at least carbon based life forms).

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Centauri Dreams has an excellent article discussing how the sun's rays spin asteroids. Although this alone may not amaze anyone who is not a hard core space geek, this revelation does help put some weight behind the solar sail.

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Ted Semon from the Space Elevator Blog informs everyone that Germany is forming their very own space elevator competition scheduled for February of 2008.

This competition is not as ambitious as the Spaceward's Space Elevator competition, however the fact that they are organizing it may help inspire other nations to follow suit.

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Hopefully I will have some time tonight to discuss some other issues on the back burner, including NASA's paradox, Jupiter's Ganymede, and the missing ingredient to call the Moon, Mars and Europa home.

Stay tuned. ;-)

Update: Corrected spelling of Ted's last name (Semon it is! Curse the spell checkers!) Also, I should have some free time later on today (at last). :-)

Are Carbon Nanotubes Self Healing?

One of the basic building blocks of a space elevator are carbon nanotubes (or CNT). Despite their promise of making the space elevator feasible, unless the CNT ribbon can be repaired, space elevators may enjoy a short lifespan due to radiation from the Sun, micrometeorites, and wear and tear from climbers traveling up and down the ribbon.

But it seems as if some scientists have discovered unique feature of carbon nanotubes, which may help extend the CNT ribbon's warranty.

(ScienceDaily) The Rice University-led study offers the first explanation of how such tiny cylinders of carbon, no wider than a strand of DNA, can be so resilient: tiny "blemishes" crawl over the skin of damaged tubes, sewing up larger holes as they go.

"The shape and direction of this imperfection does not change and it never gets any larger," said Professor Boris Yakobson, the study's lead investigator. "We were amazed by it, but upon further study we found a good explanation. The atomic irregularity acts as a kind of safety valve, allowing the nanotube to release excess energy, in much the way that a valve allows steam to escape from a kettle."

If scientists can further exploit this trait, CNT'S could be engineered to last for decades before needing a "tune up." The space elevator's current weakness lies along the lines of actually repairing damage to the ribbon, which needs to be seriously addressed in order to avoid the whole structure from collapsing due to the elements as well as friction from the climbers.

NASA Not Fond Of Space Elevators?

After listening to a podcast from The Space Show, Ted Semon has discovered that NASA is not that all interested in space elevators.

(Space Elevator Blog) I was surprised to learn that NASA is NOT interested in the Beam Power Competition to power a Space Elevator, nor are they interested in the Tether competition to build a Space Elevator. Ken put it quite bluntly: "NASA's not interested in Space Elevators...", at least not as far as the Centennial Challenges are concerned. NASA is looking at the results / winners / new technologies developed out of the Beam Power competition for Lunar exploration purposes and they are looking at the Tether competition for fundamental materials research.

Despite my surprise over this revelation, one thing us space elevator fans have to remember is that this new form of transportation has yet to prove itself to the space community and the world as a whole.

NASA should be thanked for actually helping to pioneer this idea by providing seed money via X-Prize Cup style, but we should probably be more thankful that the private sector (i.e. LiftPort, Black Line Ascension) is seriously attempting to construct one.

Note: Is it me or is Black Line Ascension's website down?

Gathering Of The Space Elevator Geeks Begins

(Hat Tip: Space Elevator Blog)

(Note: I'm a space elevator geek, so no hard feelings here.)

Bryan Laubscher of Black Line Ascension is calling for space elevator fans, engineers, scientists and warm bodies to gather in New Mexico to discuss the future of human space transportation.

(Space Elevator Reference) So as of the present date, the Space Exploration 2007 Conference (SpEx 2007) with its imbedded 2nd Space Elevator Workshop will be held in Albuquerque, NM from March 25 – 28, 2007. The philosophy of SpEx 2007 is to be a relatively inexpensive, moderate-sized, space conference accommodating a broad range of topics and presenters. Principle among the aims of the conference is to bring together diverse people with varying backgrounds and interests. The synergy and "cross-fertilization" that is possible at such a gathering is profound. [...]

One of the highlights of this year's workshop is the Global Space Elevator Roadmap working session in which a roadmap outline will be developed with the community's input.

A roadmap will be good for the general space elevator community, although LiftPort has already publicly revealed theirs, with Brad Edwards from Black Line Ascension hinting at a space elevator around 2029.

Hopefully gathering of space elevator fans and pros should help encourage everyone in the field, as well as help each other come up with creative ways for promoting this idea within our respective regions.

Unlike our rocket cousins, the space elevator community is still fairly small, and has many hurdles to overcome before it can be taken seriously by the "myspace generation."

Note: More info about this can be found at the Space Engineering and Science Institute.

Interactive: Saturn's Titan Will Require Space Elevators

Over at Planet Quest, NASA has developed a short, interactive tour that lets audiences know about Saturn's most mysterious moon, Titan.

What made this virtual tour interesting was the fact that according to NASA a single spark would be enough to engulf this moon in flames. This basically translates to the banning of rockets launching from the moon's surface, which requires an alternative method for transporting the methane off of Titan's surface.

It looks like LiftPort's and Black Line Ascension's great grand kids (assuming they will be running the space elevators future franchises) will be very busy in the distant future.

Note: To enjoy the virtual tour, simply click on the image below.

A New Hope For Carbon Nanotubes?

Despite the promise of companies like LiftPort and Black Line Ascension producing a working space elevator, one major hurdle remains--building a ribbon out of perfect carbon nanotubes (CNT).

While engineering and nature have taught us that making a perfect CNT is impossible, we may be able to fashion a super strong CNT based on the design of natures sweetest treats.

(Space Elevator Journal) [...] Tsinghua University scientists Min Wang, Xinming Qiu, and Xiong Zhang released a paper (abstracted here on the Institute of Physics site) on their study modeling the Mechanical Properties of Super Honeycomb Structures Based on Carbon Nanotubes. Their report shows a super honeycomb network configuration of hexagonal patterns made from periodically repeating carbon nanotube Y junctions "increases the ductility of the nanomaterials" so that they not only keep the "renowned strength and elasticity" of straight nanotubes but have "great flexibility and outstanding capability" to transfer force to other parts of the structure when broken.

If this process could be "perfected," honeycombed CNT's could not only allow for a working space elevator to be built. This could potentially enable the ribbon to withstand uncertain decay from microscopic space rocks, aggressive oxygen in the atmosphere, and scraps of space junk from China's ASAT test.

Note: Previously LiftPort announced a potential breakthrough regarding CNT technology. I wonder if the honeycomb design had anything to do with it?

Upcoming Carbon Nanotube Breakthrough Via LiftPort?

LiftPort, a company pioneering a new way for humanity to enter space (via space elevator) may be on the verge of a breakthrough within the carbon nanotube department.

(LiftPort Newsletter) As we've said before, we're on the brink of breakthrough. Our nanotube furnace, the only one of it's kind, is still being worked on by one of our research partners. It has, however, produced nanotubes, and we're very excited.

Carbon nanotubes are perhaps the most vital element in constructing a space elevator, something many critics have countered to be impossible. Thus far, the longest carbon nanotube ever produced has been four centimeters, which is a far cry away from the 100,000 km needed for the space elevator to be realized.

Michael Laine from LiftPort has often proposed that carbon nanotube threads could be meshed together to form this ribbon (much like rope is is made up of many fibers). This would probably be a more realistic way of producing the lengthly ribbon (if not cheaper) and this may be the "breakthrough" that LiftPort is talking about.

Black Line Ascension (A Space Elevator Company)

(Hat Tip: LiftPort Staff Blog)

A new space elevator has emerged from the shadows, and from the looks of it they seemed to be determined to construct a space elevator in the near term future.

Black Line Ascension is the culmination of work by various entities and individuals pushing the technology required for eventual construction of the space elevator. The new public outreach of Black Line Ascension is the result of a desperate need by the community for a full-fledged effort to lead development of the technology and infrastructure that will be required to build the space elevator. Black Line Ascension is an umbrella LLC with sub entities working on materials development and basic engineering and research. On this site you will find information on the space elevator and on some of the sub entities of Black Line Ascension.

Black Line Ascension boasts an impressive list of individuals working within the company, including:

• Dr. Brian Laubscher (of Los Alamos National Laboratory)
• J. Barry Thompson (of UBS Capital and Member of the X-Prize Board)
• Dr. Bradley C. Edwards (Modern Father of the Space Elevator)
• Leland Nolan (former CEO of Orange Entertainment and Vice Chairman of Pay-Per-View)

The company is based in New York and still in its infancy, and they seem to be looking for sharp individuals to join their team. Although they have not released a road map detailing when they plan on constructing a space elevator, it will probably be within 10 to 15 years (that is if Dr. Edwards has his way).

Black Line Ascension is one of three companies currently pursuing the full construction of a space elevator, with the other two being LiftPort and Lockheed Martin.

Note: Don't forget to check out Edwards space elevator video.

Review: NOVA And The Space Elevator

Despite being fashionably late (okay 15 minuets late) I was able to catch a glimpse of the NOVA ScienceNow that was mentioned previously.

The show will be posted online for those who missed it, and should be mildly entertaining at best. After watching the shows presentation of the space elevator, here is the good, the bad and the ugly.

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For the Optimist: The show did a great job at explaining the overall concept of a space elevator by comparing it with a yo-yo, not to mention explaining in layman's terms how carbon nanotubes are created in the first place.

The show also highlighted Dr. Edwards, as well as mentioning an interesting fact about Arthur C. Clark conceiving of the idea of communication satellites before there time (and linking that with the space elevator idea now).

A large portion of time was given towards the X-Prize Cup SE teams, which made up for them being overshadowed by their rocket neighbors on camera.

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For the Pessimist: Dr. Edwards was only given eight seconds (or was that ten?) of air time, although the MIT student's explanation made up for his loss. Also, there was no mention of LiftPort in the entire show (that I saw).

It also seemed as if the show removed all criticism about the SE project, (a reason why LiftPort may have been removed) in order to create a positive spin. Although this may help out the SE in the short term, such criticism is necessary as it demonstrates how hard of a project this is (which helps eliminate frustration over the apparent slowness in building this project).

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For the Realist: The show was very well balanced with imagery as well as breaking the whole concept into "child-like bites." This presentation is something you could show in front of most audiences, and they would come away with the general grasp of the project.

Unfortunately it looked as if the Space Elevator was a "loss leader" segment, whose main aim was to drive traffic to the other three discussions on the show (aging, mayan ruins via satellite, and the language of bacteria organisms).

Perhaps next time they feature a segment about space, they could go more in depth about the SE, which means:

• Highlighting the potential problems and payoff's of constructing a real space elevator
• Giving Dr. Brad Edwards five minuets of air time as well as Michael Laine of LiftPort
• Give the public a time frame of when to expect one in their lifetime (i.e. Edwards says 2018, while LiftPort plans one in 2031).

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Overall Opinion: B+ (it's a great start, but lets make the sequel to this even better) I'm definitely looking forward towards another show.

NOVA To Interview The Space Elevator Geeks

(Hat Tip: Brian via LiftPort Staff Blog)

It looks like the NOVA ScienceNOW team will be interviewing the LiftPort Corporation (Michael Laine and Tom Nugent) as well as the father of the modern day space elevator, Brad Edwards of Carbon Designs.

Brad Edwards is volunteering his time to answer any questions users may have regarding the feasibility of this project, although you can browse through some of the common questions over here.

The show is suppose to air on January 9^th or 10^th, depending on who you talk to.

Note: Does anybody by any chance know the exact time?

LiftPort Energy Debuts

LiftPort, one of two companies seeking to build a working space elevator is launching LiftPort Energy, a site dedicated towards providing clean fuel for planet Earth.

(LiftPort Blog) As some of you may have heard we are attempting to launch a division of LiftPort targeted at Energy called LiftPort Energy. Our goal is to bring clean energy to planet Earth using the abundant resources of space & encourage sustainable energy supplies like those available in space. Our first effort is the webstore at www.liftportenergy.com.

I encourage you to visit, order something (we’ve got about 10 products currently), and let me know your feedback on what you liked or did not like.

We plan a more formal, official release by LiftPort Group in a few weeks once we know we are ready for a larger audience.

LiftPort also seems to have to have a research site called LiftPort Energy Research, although it is not quite clear whether it is an R & D page or just another random site hosted on Yahoo! (although they may be the ones responsible for this previous video).

Terrestrial Space Elevators, A Neccessary Evil?

The trouble with our times is that the future is not what it used to be.

~Paul Valery


With humanity on the verge of leaving their terrestrial cradle, one can only imagine how far they will go in order to explore, build and conquer other worlds. But whether we choose to enter space via chemical and nuclear rockets, or magnetic sleds, we may have to construct a space elevator, even if the previous methods become cheaper in the future.

Whether or not one acknowledges global warming, most people can agree that air pollution is a major concern for our environment. Although much of it comes from common vehicles such as automobiles, a large portion comes from power plants, especially coal.

Many communities have responded to this by building "clean, safe," nuclear power plants. Although they do not pollute our atmosphere they can leave a nasty side effect called nuclear waste which can take thousands of years to decay or worse be spun into weapons.

Removing them off our planet would not only ensure that future descendants do not spin them into weapons, but that our environment would not suffer from a dump site leak.

Since most nations would be uncomfortable having a rocket or magnetic sled hurling nuclear materials half way around the planet (especially in their neighborhood), a space elevator could easily solve this problem by moving nuclear waste "slowly" off our planet from a location away from major populations.

The waste could then be disposed of by a robotic shuttle in space and then dumped on Venus (or perhaps even hurled towards the sun).

Although most of humanity is probably fit for space travel, there remains a vast minority who are either unfit physically (as in the case of Stephen Hawking) to travel to the stars. Despite lacking the physical strength to endure the trip, these people may have a lot to offer humanity as far as intellect and our understanding of the universe goes.

Leaving these people behind to observe the universe through others would be nothing more than to deny them the opportunity to explore the universe for themselves. A space elevator would allow those who are disabled or not healthy enough to travel via rocket (or magnetic sled) to join the rest of humanity in our quest to colonize the stars.

But before we can even adequately transport large numbers of people into space, (as well as dangerous materials on Earth) humanity will need to figure out a way to remove nearly 4,800 satellites no longer in use, circling our globe. Although many of these satellites are unusable, they may hold some historical value such as humanities first satellite into space, Sputnik 1.

Unfortunately despite their value, many of these objects can not be brought back towards earth because of the dangers that they would pose to both the shuttle and the crew. A space elevator could enable humanity to get a glimpse of their past by enabling the safe transport of distant satellites from space to Earth (possibly through solar dump trucks).

Not only would scientists and historians enjoy the return of some of the satellites to planet Earth, but also engineers as well (as they could finally figure out what went wrong in the past). A space elevator may even allow us to recycle these satellites and refurbish them for other missions.

Whether we get to space en mass through rockets or magnetic sleds only the future can tell. But regardless on the vehicle chosen to get to the stars and beyond, we may have to construct a ladder to the future to not only resolve problems around and on Earth, but to insure that all may have the opportunity to fully enjoy the cosmos.

(Hat Tip: Space Elevator Journal)

Update: Corrected some grammatical errors.

LockHeed Martin Building A Space Elevator?

(Hat Tip: Robot Guy and Space Elevator Reference)

With LockHeed Martin drafting plans to construct its own space elevator, it looks like LiftPort may have some serious competition on its hands.

(Google Patents) A Space Elevator for transporting a payload from one point to another in outer space, includes a first structure, located at a first relatively fixed, non-zero orbital distance from the surface of the earth, for receiving payloads, a second structure, located at a second relatively fixed orbital distance from the surface of the earth, for receiving payloads, where the second distance is greater than the first distance, a third structure located near the center of gravity of the combined apparatus providing a platform for storing and/or processing payloads, and a payload transporting apparatus disposed between and interconnecting the first and third and second and third structural means.

Although this differs from LiftPort's version of a space elevator, (which should probably be called a Sky Hook) LockHeed's version would preserve the current rocket industry in its current status.

LiftPort's version, although probably not in the best short term interests of any rocket company, would enable larger cargo to be hauled into space, not to mention giving most countries access to the final frontier.

Russia Considers Lunar, Martian Space Elevators

(Hat Tip: Space Elevator Blog, One and Two)

Not desiring to deal with the hassles of launching and landing a payload from Earth to the Moon and Mars, Russia is considering building a space elevator in order to help cut down on transport expenses.

(RIA Novosti) Scientists from the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences have developed a unique space elevator for lunar and Martian missions. Although a bit slower, the new system will cut back on interplanetary delivery expenses. [...]

In 1965, the Central Machine-Building Design Bureau, headed by leading rocket scientist Sergei Korolev, a member of the Soviet Academy of Sciences, started preparing for the first space-tether experiment. The Bureau, which later changed its name to Energia Rocket and Space Corporation, planned to link a Soyuz spacecraft to the last stage of the launch vehicle using a steel cable. Unfortunately, this project was mothballed after Korolev's death and resumed by Energia only 20 years later.

The fact that they started this project is a testimony to the Russian spirit to push the boundries of space technology as we know it. Although there is no mention of a space elevator on Energia's website, it is good to see another company (aside from LiftPort) taking the concept seriously, if not on Earth then elsewhere.

The Russian Space Research Institute, another organization considering the possibilities of a space elevator, has already outlined a fancy way of building one on the Moon.

(RIA Novosti) Theoretical studies and experiments showed that the cluster should comprise two cableway systems, one in a low circular and the other in a low elliptical Earth orbit, and one cableway in a circular equatorial lunar orbit. The dimensions of all three cableways should create different gravitational potentials at each end. By adjusting tether length, it will be possible to change each orbital system's angular speed of rotation.

The space-elevator cluster will exchange payloads between orbital cableways. In essence, two-way freight traffic would turn such cableways into a transportation artery.

A lunar space elevator would definitely go a long ways towards colonizing the lunar surface. There are some who even think one may be built before one is constructed on Earth.

But unlike the moon, a lunar space elevator would have to be constructed out of cheap materials due to the fact that space rocks raining down from above can easily damage the lunar lift, temporarily crippling transport to the moon.

A Martian space elevator may not fare any better, as the red planet is known to harbor violent storms that cover the entire surface.

Russia may be able to overcome both of these problems (at least in the lunar scenario) as one should not wager against technological breakthroughs in the space arena. But even if space elevators are only feasible on planet Earth, just being able to construct one within the solar system is enough to change the history of our planet as we know it.