Baby-steps for the Space Elevator

[El_Machinae]

Well, they've broken all kinds of records for ribbon-length, and so they're doing something with this technology. (Marketing a product with the intent of shuffling profits into R&D). The success of the Space Elevator, in my opinion, is one of those 'big things' that could drastically alter our society.

In the shorter term, LiftPort has been casting around for ways to apply the technological building blocks of the space elevator scheme to more grounded pursuits. Laine said his company already has a client for the technology: Lightspeed Broadband, a wireless Internet access provider based in Port Angeles, Wash.

"These guys are actually going to pay for this system now, under development," Laine said.

Lightspeed's president, Jamie Aggen, told MSNBC.com that his fledgling company hoped to use balloon-lofted signal relays to weave meshes of wireless Internet and voice-over-Internet services — initially across the Kitsap Peninsula, and eventually in other areas as well. Aggen said the system also could be used to facilitate "quick, early response to disaster areas," with last year's Hurricane Katrina devastation serving as a prime example.

Aggen said that Lightspeed currently has fewer than 200 subscribers in western Washington for its antenna-based wireless broadband services. But he shared Laine's hope that the technology currently being tested would set the stage for the company's expansion.
"He has a vision of going to space, and now we have a vision of deploying telecom," Aggen said. "We think it's totally achievable."

If the technology pans out and the FAA gives its assent for continuing operations, Lightspeed could offer $20-a-month broadband to customers who currently can get only dial-up service at a higher cost, Laine said. Participating in such a venture would give LiftPort its first significant revenue stream.

People benefitting and more R&D potential. I'm drooling.

Source

NASA is offering cash prizes to encourage the development of the technologies required for space elevators — such as beamed power systems and super-strong, lightweight carbon nanotube materials — but most experts say it will take a decade or more to build an actual space elevator, if it can be done at all.

I also approve of recent trends to put out bounties on technological innovation.

 

[JoeM]

Unfortunately the last sentence of your quote is the most important..."if it can be done at all."

 

[Abaddon]

Butb we have to try.. and atleast they have provided the carrot now

 

[Paradigne]

We will be able to eventually, one way or another.

 

[El_Machinae]

Unfortunately the last sentence of your quote is the most important..."if it can be done at all."

Yes, we don't know if it's scientifically even possible. However, I'm quite pleased that they're finding marketable products on the way to trying it out. That's certainly a better plan than most of the ones I've seen.

I think that the potential for success increased with its popularity, which is why I included the news link. If the news services notice people clicking the links, they're more likely to write stories on this topic.

 

[Abaddon]

*clicks all the links twice*