Go Canada!

Sometimes you meet people who have had a brush with greatness - or at least potential greatness.

One of the things that has prevented us from making a viable go of space exploration is that we still haven't figured out a way to get into orbit without riding a huge can of explosive fuel. But one idea that started out as science fiction is emerging as an efficient alternative to rockets - the space elevator. The idea in a nutshell is that if you strung a very strong cable from a counterweight in orbit to the ground, you could run climber elevators up and down to deliver material and people into orbit. Until now, the technology to accomplish such a device was not yet invented, but carbon nano-tubes may change all that very soon.

In the meantime, NASA is motivating people to create the foundation concepts needed to make such a space elevator a reality with a number of contests. One of my colleagues at work was a member of the team from the University of Saskatchewan that (as of this writing) holds the lead in the latest climber competition.

I have always been excited about the idea of a space elevator someday getting stuff into orbit. I am hopeful that this would make it possible to not only create some decent destinations for humans in orbit, but also make it possible to finally head out there somewhere.....