Space Elevator – Fiction, Fact, and Progress Reports on required Robotics and Carbon NanoTube developments

  • Michael J. Laine | LiftPort Group – The Space Elevator Companies

The Space Elevator, long considered a favorite topic in science fiction, has recently emerged as a mainstream concept for the development of commercial access to space. What was once thought ‘impossible’ is now being reconsidered – due to several ongoing research areas, including super-strong Material Sciences (Carbon NanoTube Composites) and advances in Robotic, Radar, Laser, PhotoVoltaic and Computing Technologies.

The talk will touch briefly on the history of the 100 year old concept, give an overview of recent developments – separating Fact from Science Fiction, describe possible construction scenarios (including potential problems and solutions). Highlights of the technical breakthroughs will be covered, as well as planned uses of the completed system and ongoing commercialization efforts. There will be an emphasis on (current) robotic systems, our thought processes, designs, setbacks and opportunities and a description of our high altitude balloon launch tests planned within the next few weeks. A Q&A session will follow the talk.

Speaker Details

Michael J. Laine, President of LiftPort GroupLaine has a non-traditional approach to the commercial development of space. He thinks there are “too many engineers, and not enough business development people” in the field. Laine has a strong financial management background, and with both successes and failures in business to lend experience to a Boston University education, and the foundation of the US Marine Corp to teach him that the “impossible” is usually just difficult.Laine, as President, led the media awareness efforts of HighLift Systems, with Dr. Brad Edwards in 2002. They were co-founders of the first efforts to formally and with scientific rigor, develop the space elevator concept. The project has been in the mainstream media for 2 years now, including features on CNN, Wired, NPR, AP network and many others, and, this month Inc. magazine. Laines’ start-up is focusing on the commercialization efforts of the Carbon NanoTubes, and Robotic and Communications aspects. More information about the commercial development can be found at www.liftport.com for the technical/scientific development, please go to www.isr.us/researchesse.asp

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