Guest: Dr. Bryan Laubscher. Topics: Space elevator, space elevator traffic management, planetary defense, elevator timeline, Japanese space elevator. Dr. Bryan Laubscher returned to update us on the space elevator conferences from 2008 and the upcoming 2009 conference which will be August 12-16, 2009 in Redmond, WA. Some of the many space elevator topics discussed included the progress being made with carbon nanotubes (CNTs), space policy and the elevator, the Japanese elevator, and more. Bryan made the point that we needed new and stronger infrastructure materials and R&D on carbon nanotubes was providing us with needed information and incremental increases in materials strength which will lead us to the space elevator. Dr. Laubscher discussed the CNTs for suspension bridge and other construction and did a very good job making the case as to why we need new and stronger construction materials, then connected the dots from this to the space elevator. We talked about the space elevator in Japan and elsewhere around the world, space weapons, and the use of the elevator in planetary defense. He told us about the need for space elevator traffic management and how that problem is critical to the elevator's development and is now being worked by those involved in the elevator project. We also talked about the significant progress made by the teams that enter the elevator climber contest year to year using more and more powerful lasers to power their climbers. You will want to hear about this improvement. In response to a listener question, Dr. Laubscher addressed tethered balloons and other devices that might play a role with the elevator. Even the Japanese cartoon Gundam came up regarding Japanese space elevator interest. Bryan suggested some websites of interest including http://www.isec.info/ and http://www.spaceelevatorconference.org/ . The space elevator site will soon change to the 2009 conference. If you have questions or comments for Dr. Bryan Laubscher, please send them to him at belaubscher@comcast.net.
Guest
The Space Show
