Editor’s Note

Dear Fellow Space Elevator enthusiast,

Let me give you the Who, What, Where, When and Why of the upcoming Space Elevator Conference.

Who: You! Yes, you! We Want You

What: To sign up for the Space Elevator Conference!

Where: Right where you are, if you are sitting at a computer, log in to 2018 Space Elevator Conference and register.

When: Right now! Don’t delay! The Space Elevator Conference is just over five weeks away (August 17th through the 19th)

Why: Because the Space Elevator Conference is our annual event to get up-to-date on the latest technologies related to Space Elevator development and connect with other Space Elevator Enthusiasts from around the globe.

Special:  Keynote Presentation will be by Adrian Nixon on Single Crystal Graphene, a new material process that should end up “long enough and strong enough" for space elevator tether production.  The conference attendees will be right in the middle of a remarkable research success leading to production in the near future.  Come learn about this new material and its potential for space elevators!  

Space Elevators are Closer than you Think! 

As always, you will find notices of several open volunteer positions (a great way to help this project, even if you’re not a scientist or engineer) and a reminder that all ISEC reports are available FOR FREE in electronic (pdf) format at ISEC.org. There is plenty of work to be done!

If you want to help us make a space elevator happen, JOIN ISEC and get involved! A space elevator would truly revolutionize life on earth and open up the solar system and beyond to all of us.

Please don’t forget to LIKE US on Facebook, FOLLOW US on Twitter, and enjoy the photos and videos that we’ve posted on Flickr and YouTube, all under our Social Identity of ISECdotORG.

Thank you for reading and lending your support in the development of Space Elevators!

Sandee Schaeffer
ISEC

2018 ISEC Space Elevator Conference

Registration is Underway for the 2018 ISEC Space Elevator Conference

The International Space Elevator Consortium presents the 2018 Space Elevator Conference to be held August 17th through August 19th, 2018 at the Museum of Flight, Seattle, Washington with the Family Science Fest on Saturday, August 18th.

This year will be a dual-themed conference featuring the technical description of the “Multi-Stage Space Elevator” and the preliminary “Technology Readiness Assessment of the Space Elevator Transportation System."   The three-day technical conference will engage an international audience of scientists, engineers, educators, managers, entrepreneurs, enthusiasts, and students in discussions of space elevator development including Technology, Business and Operations, Outreach, and Legal topics.  More details of this year’s technical conference program will be posted on the conference website (http://isec.org/sec) with registration opening May 2018.

The Family Science Fest portion of the conference will be held Saturday, August 18th. This event is in tandem with the technical conference and is included in the Museum of Flight admission price. The Family Science Fest includes a youth robotics competition, public Space Elevator 101 and 201 presentations, exhibits from universities, science organizations, and science clubs, and much more.  This is a great event for the whole family while you explore the Museum of Flight.

Many thanks to our annual “GEO” level sponsor, the Museum of Flight, for their ongoing support for this conference.

Call for Papers!

The deadline is fast approaching for submission of papers for the Space Elevator Conference

Topics for papers should fall into these categories.

  • Multi-Stage Space Elevators

  • Technology Readiness Assessment of the Space Elevator Transportation System

  • Carbon nanotube tensile strength research progress and other strong materials research relating to space elevators

  • Science, engineering, and technology topics relating to space elevators

  • Operations, maintenance, ROI, and other business and financial topics relating to space elevators

  • Space elevator impact on the future and public outreach to societal institutions; government, media, unions, the educational system, etc.

  • Treaties, laws, insurability, and other legal issues and topics relating to space elevators

Submit your abstracts and papers to the Conference Management Tool (CMT) at https://cmt3.research.microsoft.com/ISEC2018.

Please use the ISEC Conference Papers Template for your paper. Papers must be in English with the first full draft for review due by 15-Jul-2018.  This is an informal checkpoint to make sure you are on track to have the paper ready for the conference. Final papers and presentations are due 10-Aug-2018 so that we can make them ready for conference attendees. PowerPoint or PDF formats are preferred for presentations.

Proceedings

We will collect all papers and presentations made and include them in the conference proceedings, to be offered free to the public on the ISEC web site after the conference. By submitting a paper and presentation to the conference, the author(s) explicitly give(s) ISEC and the Space Elevator Conference organizing committee the right to include his or her paper and presentation in the conference proceedings.

Questions?

Send your paper and technical program inquiries to:

Conference Chair: David Horn (david.horn@isec.org)

2018 Intern Program

Congratulations to our two scholars who were selected for the International Space Elevator Consortium’s 2018 Summer Internship Program.  Their participation should be exciting with the opportunity to contribute towards the development of the space elevator body of knowledge.  The two winners are:

Matthew Dupree, Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara

Statement: “If humanity is to become an interplanetary species, we must solve the technological puzzle of how to build a space elevator.”

Yuri Shimane, Aeronautical Engineering, Imperial College of London

Statement: “The space elevator represents to me the very nature of space engineering. That is, a challenge that has never been accomplished before, and if attained, will bring humankind considerably closer to space, providing a significant leap in our engineering competences.”

The rewards of the program are based upon their ability contribute towards this challenging development program and participate in exciting investigations and interviews.  The specific rewards are:  upon completion - $500 check, a certificate of recognition, and a Letter of Recommendation, when requested.  ISEC hopes the combination of investigating and contributing to an exciting technological development will enhance their college experiences.  To complete the program, there are three tasks to be fully accomplished.

  1. Establish and maintain a communications link with an ISEC representative during the summer.

  2. Complete a research paper of 750 words on a topic to be refined between mentor and intern. This paper is due at the end of the program [15 August 2017]

  3. Coordinate with, and then record an interview of, a person of interest. ISEC stores these interviews on its website. A transcription of the interview to a word document will also be provided.

International Space Development Conference - A success for ISEC

The National Space Society Summer Conference is always exciting and is the perfect place for space leaders, astronauts, enthusiasts and the next generation of experts to meet.  ISDC® attracts men and women of all ages - each bringing unique skills and backgrounds such as aerospace industry leaders and startups, space exploration pioneers, academic thought leaders, and space supporters - all united by a common goal: to discuss the latest discoveries and projects on space development.  This year was especially exciting with the involvement of Jeff Bezos and his remarkable achievements with Blue Origin.  He was awarded the Gerald K O’Neill Memorial Award for Space Settlement Advocacy.

Of course, ISEC played a role in the excitement by sponsoring and hosting an afternoon session on Space Elevators.  We had several of our members presenting their views and projections into the future such as:

  • Pete Swan on the Architectural future

  • Michael Laine on where the Lunar Space Elevator plays in the European Moon Village Proposal

  • Michael Fitzgerald describing the Galactic Harbour and how our Strategic Vision emerges

  • Vern Hall expanding on the Earth Port and its parallel with historic human transportation infrastructures

  • Dennis Wright explaining ISEC study successes and potential research

  • Matthew Farrell describing our History Committee program activities

  • A student group from Ireland who won an award from the NSS/NASA Ames Student Space Settlement Contest Presentation - they did a marvelous job showing their research and conclusions.

During each of the presentations, there were many questions and several people stayed around afterwards to expand their knowledge.  In addition, the students and teachers stayed around and enjoyed finding out about space elevators.  All in all, the afternoon was quite successful.

President’s Corner: Our Moonshot

The space elevator has such potential to change humanity with low cost access to remarkable resources that it has been called a “Moonshot.”[1] Google has described the term as “an ambitious, exploratory and ground-breaking project undertaken without any expectation of near-term profitability or benefit.”  A Moonshot project usually “addresses a huge problem, proposes a radical solution, and uses breakthrough technology.”[2] We have a remarkable opportunity to pursue this Moonshot within ISEC because of our timing.  The Space Elevator definitely addresses a huge problem - access to space within parameters such as extremely low cost, safe, routine, reusable, and permanent infrastructure.  The solution that is being proposed by our ISEC Architect is certainly radical by today’s measures, but very understandable with the future as a judge.  In addition, we are certainly depending on breakthrough technologies within the materials arena.  Now, what does this mean to be a Moonshot?  It seems to me that we have the opportunity to leverage this enticing vision towards near-term support both by practical investors who can see the remarkable leaps that humanity would make through a space elevator infrastructure and those high-risk investors hoping for a long term mega-gain.  In addition, by using the terminology of Google’s Moonshot, we will be able to be out there where the future is perceived and chased.  A Moonshot implies a big leap in capability with big requirements for new technologies.  It implies a great benefit upon completion of the mega-project with significant impact to humanity.  It addition, it allows the ISEC to “play with the big players” in the space and transportation industries.  ISEC is on the forefront of this remarkable breakout technology leading towards our future in space.

Keep Climbing, my friends!

Pete

______________

1 https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/moonshot

2 https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/moonshot

ISEC Needs You!

In our modern world, the web and social media are the most common ways that people get their news and information about, well, everything!  ISEC wants to take fuller advantage of this trend to reach new audiences that we haven't been able to before, and spread the word about space elevators.

If you are excited about space elevators (as we know you are!) and are savvy in how to use web and social media tools, we want to talk with you!  We have the following volunteer positions open at ISEC:

  1. ISEC Webmaster -- We are looking for someone who can work with the ISEC Board and ISEC Members to publish news, study reports, and information on space elevator related topics. We have all the basics in place, we just need someone to incorporate inputs and post them to the web.

  2. ISEC Social Media Guru -- We are looking for someone to help us drive further engagement with current and new space elevator enthusiasts in the social media arenas of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. We would love to have someone come on board to help us maximize the use of these technologies.

  3. ISEC Board Member for Web and Social Media efforts -- We are looking for a liaison between the ISEC Board of Directors and the Webmaster, Newsletter, and Social Media Guru. This person could also help out with any special efforts along these lines as they want. Being on the ISEC Board means that you can influence what topics we study and how we go about educating the larger public about all the benefits of space elevators.

Featured Position: Webmaster

Have you ever wanted your own website? An Amazing opportunity exists within ISEC as we need someone to “own” a site and keep it up to speed.

ISEC Webmaster - Work directly for the ISEC Board while supporting ISEC Members to publish news, study reports, and information on space elevator related topics. We have all the basics in place, we just need someone to incorporate inputs and post them to the site.

As a volunteer international organization, we need someone who wants to handle the vital interface with our website while helping ISEC members keep track of activities and ensure a continuous growth of the Body of Knowledge for Space Elevators. Our mission is to: Promote the development, construction and operation of a Space Elevator (SE) infrastructure as a revolutionary and efficient way to space for all humanity. ISEC is made up of individuals and organizations from all around the world who share a vision of mankind in space. Please join us as an active member of the team responsible for our website - as its Webmaster!

If any of these sound interesting, please send email to mark.dodrill@isec.org, with your interest!

Thanks.

Mark Dodrill

UPCOMING SPACE ELEVATOR RELATED EVENTS:

International Space Elevator Consortium
Space Elevator Conference 2018
Seattle Museum of Flight, Seattle, WA, USA
August 17-19, 2018
https://isec.org/sec/