On Saturday, members of the University of British Columbia team prepare to launch a solar-powered mechanical climber in the X Prize Cup's Space Elevator competition. The contestants--mostly university engineers--were striving to build a lightweight, fast climber that could mount a 200-meter durable ribbon within 1 minute.
Space elevators have been suggested by some as the transportation mode of the future for carrying supplies into orbit. The ideal materials for the tether have yet to be identified (and were part of the challenge), but a space elevator would require a strong cable anchored to a platform or ship, and held in place by the earth's rotation.
NASA sponsored the challenge, putting up $400,000 in prize money for the winners.
Photo by Stefanie Olsen/CNET News.com
