Continued Success for Space Elevator Tests

Jacki O writes "According to their Web site the Space Elevator company Lifport recently managed to get their platform and climbing robot to the mile-high mark over the Arizona desert." From the announcement: "A revolutionary way to send cargo into space, the LiftPort Space Elevator will consist of a carbon nanotube composite ribbon eventually stretching some 62,000 miles from earth to space. The LiftPort Space Elevator will be anchored to an offshore sea platform near the equator in the Pacific Ocean, and to a small man-made counterweight in space. Mechanical lifters are expected to move up and down the ribbon, carrying such items as people, satellites and solar power systems into space."

Comments

Still cool but....

[MaceyHW]

Just to be clear, the robotic lifters didn't make it to the top. From TFA:

The robotic lifters measured five feet, six inches and climbed to a height of more than 1500 feet, surpassing its last test record by more than 500 feet.

New Scientist reports that the robots were supposed to climb all the way up but failed.

1 mile down....

[iamhassi]

"managed to get their platform and climbing robot to the mile-high mark.... eventually stretching some 62,000 miles from earth to space."

great, 1 mile down, 62,000 miles to go.

Hey I'm at the $1,000 mark now, does that mean I'm closing in on $62,000,000??

sorry guess i'm just a pessismist today, but going 1/62000th of the total distance doesnt exactly sound like "continued success" to me, maybe "progress" but not success...