Solar Events

On 21st - 22nd October, New Mexico will host the second of NASA’s annual Beam Power Challenge competitions, for a $150,000 prize.

The idea is to progress the technology required for “Space Elevators”, a projected method for achieving space travel by starting off taking an elevator up a rope into the sky. Yes, really ! The top end is held up not by a structure, but by the centrifugal (or “outward-flinging”) force of the earth’s rotation.

Since it is impractical to climb so far carrying fuel, the competing robot climbers (with a 200m rope to climb) must be powered by light.

The current favorite is from British Columbia and claims that it will win using sunlight alone, avoiding the complexity of lasers shone from below. Link