Will LiftPort rise again?

Ted Semon, Carol Stream, IL. — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 04:38:54 GMT

Great article, Alan - the most comprehensive so far. I've posted a link to it on my blog.

Let's hope that Michael can pull a rabbit out of the hat - LiftPort is too valuable to lose...

Will LiftPort rise again?

JHC, Riverton, CT — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 14:35:34 GMT

I hope Liftport's balloon venture can turn things around long enough to reinvigorate developement of the space elevator. Like the communication satellite, the space elevator is a nutty cause championed by AC Clarke - just nutty enough to work.

Will LiftPort rise again?

michael laine — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 15:39:01 GMT

thanks for talking yesterday. posted my first of many blog entries this morning, and will post progress as it happens. take care. mjl

Will LiftPort rise again?

Daniel, Woodbridge, VA — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 15:51:51 GMT

Dude's tenacious, I'll give him that.

Will LiftPort rise again?

Charles Cady, Glendale, Arizona — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 18:31:00 GMT

LiftPort has been one of the very few bright spots for getting humans into space in a big way and soon. Thank you LiftPort and Michael Laine; You have brought me hope in a hopeless situation.

I was born in 1944 and brought up during the heyday of the American space program. During the 60s and 70s I felt we were truly on the verge of getting significant human presence in space. In fact it was not unreasonable for me to dream of making into space in my life time.

There is no need to go into the litany of reasons why we as Americans and even as humans have turned our back on space. Suffice it to say we have. During the 80s I had hopes that my children could go out to space. But during the 90s and continuing today I have no hopes for them (both in their 20s). Now I don't even have any remaining hopes for my grandchildren (when we have them). If you follow NASA's tentative schedule for landing Astronauts on Mars, the target date moves out two years for every year that passes. We will never get there at this rate. It is scheduled to take longer for NASA to return to the Moon than it took to go there in the first place.

The key problem is launch cost to orbit. It is and has been way to high many orders of magnitude. Space Elevators had been a nice dream but the material to build one had been 'Un-obtain-ium". Finally with carbon Nano-tubes we have the right material, even if currently it is just millimeter lengths grown in small batches in lab.

I have no hope that our politicians (of either party) will ever get behind development of space elevators, it is too much of a challenge to their vested interests. So we are stuck on this rock.

LiftPort was and is trying to make the dream, of inexpensive access to space, come true and in the near term. For that they need to be encouraged.

Will LiftPort rise again?

Darnell Clayton, SC — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 21:10:07 GMT

I sure hope LiftPort rises again!

Despite what their SE (space elevator) competition has to say, LiftPort has done an awesome PR job regarding public awareness of the SE in general.

They also seem to actually have a detailed business plan for the SE (which I can not say for the other competitors at this time).

Even people I know who think the SE is ridiculous are impressed that LiftPort actually has a business plan in the short term, even if they think the whole idea is silly.

I hope LiftPort is able to make it through "these hard times." A setback here could send ripples throughout the SE community.

Will LiftPort rise again?

JC, FBX, AK — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 05:05:26 GMT

The Space Elevator is something I’ve been fascinated with since I read Arthur C.’s (non-fiction) account of it in “Ascent to Orbit”, probably 30 years ago, now. For my part, I see zero hope of humans moving into space in any meaningful way using super-expensive, miniscule carrying-capacity, rockets. Those are “old-think” to me, and while fine for launching satellites (for now), we are wasting our time trying to squeeze 1% more efficiency out of them for purposes of sending PEOPLE into space. The 100G$ spent (so far) on the space station would have been *much better* spent on the Science needed to someday build a space elevator, instead of on a ‘pink elephant’ wearing out LEO.

I could literally write pages on this subject, but I’ll restrain myself, and wait to see what others have to say . . .

Will LiftPort rise again?

Kathy Norman, San Jose, CA — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 07:13:29 GMT

I profoundly admire a person who values his dreams more than a building.

I imagine that balloon-borne platforms have a compelling value proposition given the price of oil combined with our growing environmental awareness. More compelling now, than if proposed five or 10 years ago.

I wish LiftPort Luck and Success.

Will LiftPort rise again?

Keith Henson, Prescott, Arizona — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 05:18:48 GMT

Nothing could use low cost lift more than power satellites. I worked out the numbers for them and it would take lift capacity upwards of 2000 tons a day.

2000 tons a day takes about .7 Gw at 100% efficiency. (Actually half the lift energy is extracted from the earth's rotation.)

If you are thinking space elevators and this market, you should think on this scale. I have doubts about climbers being up to this much traffic.

Keith Henson