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(AP) — A robot powered by a ground-based laser beam climbed a long cable dangling from a helicopter on Wednesday to qualify for prize money in a $2 million competition to test the potential reality of the science fiction concept of space elevators.

The highly technical contest brought teams from Missouri, Alaska and Seattle to Rogers Dry Lake in the Mojave Desert, most familiar to the public as a space shuttle landing site.

The contest requires their machines to climb 2,953 feet (nearly 1 kilometer) up a cable slung beneath a helicopter hovering nearly a mile high.

LaserMotive's vehicle zipped up to the top in just over four minutes and immediately repeated the feat, qualifying for at least a $900,000 second-place prize.

The device, a square of photo voltaic panels about 2 feet by 2 feet and topped by a motor structure and thin triangle frame, had failed to respond to the laser three times before it was lowered, inspected and then hoisted back up by the helicopter for the successful tries.

LaserMotive's two principals, Jordin Kare and Thomas Nugent, said they were relieved after two years of work. They said their real goal is to develop a business based on the idea of beaming power, not the futuristic idea of accessing space via an elevator climbing a cable.

“We both are pretty skeptical of its near-term prospects,” Kare said of an elevator.

The contest, however, demonstrates that beaming power works, Nugent said.

“Anybody who needs power in one place and can't run wires to it – we'd be able to deliver power,” Kare said.

Earlier out on the lakebed, team member Nick Burrows had pointed out how it grips the cable with modified skateboard wheels and the laser is aimed with an X Box game controller.

It had never climbed higher than 80 feet previously, he said.

The day's competition began late after hours of testing the cable system, refueling the helicopter and waits for specific time windows in which the lasers can be fired without harming satellites passing overhead.

The Kansas City Space Pirates went first with a machine that initially balked but eventually began climbing. Its speed was too slow to qualify for any prizes but it got within about 160 feet of the top before the laser had to be shut down for satellite protection.

Ben Shelef, CEO of the contest-sponsoring Spaceward Foundation, said the Pirates had a minor laser tracking problem but the real problem appeared to be in the mechanical system.

As the afternoon grew late, the University of Saskatchewan's Space Design Team had to put off its attempts until Thursday. All three teams had further chances to qualify through Friday.

The competition was five years in the making, Shelef said.

“A lot of hurdles to cross,” he said. “Now that it's happening I'm actually happy already. It doesn't matter what the outcome is.”

Enlarge

The 2009 Space Elevator Games.

Funded by a NASA program to explore bold technology, the contest is intended to encourage development of a theory that originated in the 1960s and was popularized by Arthur C. Clarke's 1979 novel “The Fountains of Paradise.”

Space elevators are envisioned as a way to reach space without the risk and expense of rockets.

Instead, electrically powered vehicles would run up and down a cable anchored to a ground structure and extending thousands of miles up to a mass in geosynchronous orbit – the kind of orbit communications satellites are placed in to stay over a fixed spot on the Earth.

Electricity would be supplied through a concept known as “power beaming,” ground-based lasers pointing up to photo voltaic cells on the bottom of the climbing vehicle – something like an upside-down solar power system.

The space elevator competition has not produced a winner in its previous three years, but has become increasingly difficult.

The vehicles must climb at an average speed of 16.4 feet (5 meters) per second, or about 11 miles (18 kilometers) per hour, to qualify for the top prize. A lesser prize is available for vehicles that climb at 2 meters per second.

The rules allow one team to collect all $2 million or for sums to be shared among all three teams depending on their achievements.

While the concept of an elevator to space may seem too fanciful, Andrew Williams, 26, a mechanical engineer on the Saskatchewan team, said he has no doubts it will come about.

“Once we put our minds to something it's just a matter of time for us to achieve it,” he said.

Video: In their first run today and their first ever successful run in any of the NASA sponsored Power Beaming Challenge events, Team Lasermotive qualified for at least a share of the 1st level prize money of $900,000.

More information: http://www.spaceelevatorgames.org/

©2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Un robot propulsé par un motif à base de laser est monté un long câble suspendu à un hélicoptère mercredi pour bénéficier de prix en argent à un concours de 2 millions de dollars pour tester la réalité potentielle de la notion de science-fiction d'un ascenseur spatial. Le concours apporté très technique des équipes du Missouri, de l'Alaska et à Seattle pour Rogers Dry Lake dans le désert de Mojave, les plus connues du public comme un lieu d'atterrissage de la navette spatiale. Le concours exige que leurs machines à gravir 2953 pieds (environ 1 kilomètre) un câble accroché sous un hélicoptère en vol stationnaire près d'un mile de haut. Véhicule LaserMotive's zippé jusqu'en haut en un peu plus de quatre minutes et immédiatement répété l'exploit, admissible pendant au moins un prix de 900,000 $ deuxième place. L'appareil, un carré de panneaux photovoltaïques d'environ 2 pieds par 2 pieds et surmonté par une structure de moteur et le châssis triangle mince, avait omis de répondre au laser à trois reprises avant qu'elle ne soit abaissé, inspectés et ensuite hissé en arrière par l'hélicoptère pour les essais réussis. LaserMotive les deux directeurs, Jordin Kare et Thomas Nugent, a déclaré qu'ils étaient soulagés après deux années de travail. Ils ont dit que leur but réel est de développer une activité basée sur l'idée de la puissance rayonnante, pas l'idée futuriste de l'espace d'accéder via un ascenseur escalade d'un câble. "Nous avons tous deux sont assez sceptiques quant à ses perspectives à court terme", dit Kare d'un ascenseur. Le concours, cependant, démontre que les œuvres de puissance rayonnante, Nugent dit. «N'importe qui qui a besoin de pouvoir dans un seul endroit et ne peut pas courir des fils à elle – nous serions en mesure de fournir de l'énergie", dit Kare. Plus tôt sur le lit du lac, membre de l'équipe Nick Burrows a fait observer la façon dont il saisit le câble avec des roues de planche à roulettes modifiées et le laser vise avec un contrôleur de jeu X Box. Il n'a jamais grimpé plus haut que 80 mètres plus haut, dit-il. Concurrence La journée a commencé tard après des heures de tester le système de câble, de ravitaillement de l'hélicoptère et attend les fenêtres temporelles particulières dans lesquelles les lasers peuvent être congédiés sans nuire satellites passent au-dessus. Le Kansas City Space Pirates se rendit d'abord avec une machine qui initialement hésité mais a finalement commencé à monter. Sa vitesse était trop lente pour se qualifier pour les prix mais c'est devenu à environ 160 pieds de haut avant le laser a dû être fermée pour protéger les satellites. Ben Shelef, PDG du concours-parrainage Spaceward Fondation, a déclaré Les pirates avaient un laser mineur suivi des problèmes mais le vrai problème semble être dans le système mécanique. Comme l'après-midi à se faire tard, l'Université de la Saskatchewan's Space Design Team ont dû reporter ses tentatives jusqu'à jeudi. Les trois équipes ont eu d'autres chances de se qualifier au vendredi. La compétition était de cinq ans dans la fabrication, Shelef dit. «Un grand nombre d'obstacles à franchir, dit-il. «Maintenant que ça se passe, je suis effectivement heureux déjà. Peu importe quelle est l'issue." Agrandir L'édition 2009 du Space Elevator Games. Financé par un programme de la NASA pour explorer la technologie en gras, le concours est destiné à encourager le développement d'une théorie qui a pris naissance dans les années 1960 et a été popularisé par Arthur C. Clarke 'S 1979 roman "Les Fontaines du Paradis." Ascenseurs spatiaux sont envisagés comme un moyen d'atteindre l'espace sans risques et aux frais de roquettes. Au lieu de cela, les véhicules électriques devrait monter et descendre un câble ancré à une structure de chaussée et l'extension des milliers de miles jusqu'à une masse en orbite géosynchrone – le genre de communications en orbite des satellites sont placés dans de séjourner plus de un point fixe sur la Terre. L'électricité serait fournie grâce à un concept connu comme «le pouvoir rayonnant, lasers basés au sol vers le haut de cellules photo-voltaïques sur le fond du véhicule escalade – quelque chose comme une tête en bas système d'énergie solaire. Le concours ascenseur spatial n'a pas produit un gagnant dans ses trois dernières années, mais il est devenu de plus en plus difficile. Les véhicules doivent grimper à une vitesse moyenne de 16,4 pieds (5 mètres) par seconde, soit environ 11 miles (18 kilomètres) par heure, de se qualifier pour le premier prix. Un prix moindre est disponible pour les véhicules qui montent à 2 mètres par seconde. La réglementation autorise une seule équipe pour recueillir l'ensemble des 2 millions de dollars ou pour des sommes à répartir entre les trois équipes en fonction de leurs réalisations. Bien que le concept d'un ascenseur pour l'espace mai semblent trop fantaisiste, Andrew Williams, 26 ans, ingénieur en mécanique à l'équipe de la Saskatchewan, a déclaré qu'il n'a aucun doute qu'il se produira. "Une fois que nous mettons notre esprit à quelque chose, c'est juste une question de temps pour nous d'y parvenir", at-il dit. Vidéo: Dans leur première manche aujourd'hui, et leur premier passage réussi à tout jamais de la NASA a parrainé Power Beaming événements Challenge, Team Lasermotive qualifié pour au moins une part du prix de 1er niveau de prix de 900.000 $. Plus d'informations: http://www.spaceelevatorgames.org/ © 2009 The Associated Press. Tous droits réservés. Ce matériau mai ne pas être publié, diffusé, modifié ou redistribué.

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General Tech

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Product Ratings:

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Product Price:

This LG Side-by-Side Refrigerator can be purchased online and in retail stores for an average price of $2,000.