Space Elevator Challenge

MattSparkes writes "For the second year in a row, no team has won the $200,000 prize in the Space Elevator Challenge at the Wirefly X Prize Cup. Three teams were disqualified before the contest even started. Another competition at the event has been held up by confusion. Incredibly, it seems the organisers of the competition are not sure whether the ribbon used was 50 or 60 metres long, and whether any team completed the climb fast enough to win."

Comments

Ribbon

[MattSparkes]

I think that the material to make the ribbon can't actually be produced yet, and a 50-60 metre long section is about all that can be used. However, for the purposes of a test like this, it will suffice. The competition is more to do with getting the elevator technology advancing than actually putting together a working device.