Desafío académico del ascensor espacial

El Consorcio Internacional de Ascensores Espaciales (ISEC), a global networking of space elevator enthusiasts and experts who promote the green and efficient transportation of cargo to space, has named Makua Lani Christian Academy's aerospace team as the ganadores of its Academic Challenge. The consortium invited high school students from around the world to design a space elevator mission incorporating an ecological benefit or the use of AI. The four-person team from Hawaii's Big Island received a US$2,000 cash prize and a certificate of special recognition from the governor.

Por ahora, los ascensores espaciales son una tecnología teórica. La idea es que una plataforma espacial en órbita geoestacionaria estaría conectada a la Tierra mediante una correa. Un ascensor transportaría personas y carga hacia y desde la Tierra a través de la correa. Los diseños de ascensores espaciales a menudo cuentan con contrapesos o plataformas colocadas justo más allá de la órbita geoestacionaria para equilibrar la atracción gravitatoria descendente de las correas.

AeroSpace Meridian, the Makua Lani team, developed a mission that sought to prove that space elevators would eliminate rockets and their fossil fuel pollution. The students' mission included a test of mining technologies on asteroids, envisioning the mining of precious metals from asteroids near Mars. Their presentation can be viewed aquí.