Random Thoughts of Chris Tilley

This sounds like one of those 'way out there' ideas but if someone manages to make it affordable it would solve a lot of problems. This article appeared on CNN. The idea for space based power satellites has been around for decades but the up front costs have been prohibitive. The 'National Security Space Office' did another review based on the increased cost of oil and the energy security that it would bring and while they concluded that it is no yet cost effective for commercial use the DOD could be an anchor tenant. The DOD would be willing to pay extra for electricity to forward operating areas. The major hold back is sufficient and cheap enough space lift capacity. There are companies that are working towards power satellites including Mitsubishi.

One of the ideas mentioned in the report is that of a space elevator. There is a competition going on to develop the technologies needed to make a space elevator. For more information on the competition go to the Spaceward Foundation website. The prize money is supplied by NASA's Centennial Challenges program - a total of $4,000,000 over the next 5 years.

In reading Spaceward Foundations 'About us' this bit stood out as where the US needs to go to remain competitive.

The United States has benefited greatly from its technological leadership during the 20th century. From the mass production of automobiles to airplanes to computers to the green revolution to the Internet, Americans have led the way. Now, at the dawn of a new century, our leadership is being challenged. We want to see the United States benefit from its continued leadership in space during the 21st century. Spaceward intends to bring together leaders from the academic, commercial and educational worlds and create a series of challenges, exhibits, and educational activities that will re-invigorate the nation's interest in space.

It will be interesting to follow these as they develop.

I got a very interesting email a couple of weeks ago regarding Hydraulic Hybrids. This reader sent me to Mother Earth News. There there is an archived article about a Hydraulic Hybrid that some 'advanced students at Minneapolis, Minnesota's Hennepin Vocational Technical Center' built back in 1978. No that is not a typo 1978. Check the article about for all the details. They were able to get 75 mpg nearly 30 years ago. The automotive x-prize goal of 100 mpg seems very doable now.

There are at least three companies entering Hydraulic Hybrids in the Automotive X-prize. Now that there is a track records for Hydraulic Hybrids I have a even more confidence in those entries. I can even see these beating the plug in electric hybrids.

It sounds like from the email and some of the other things that I read that these people got shafted in a number of different ways which would probably explain why we are not currently driving hydraulic hybrids. I am not going to go into those. It pisses me of but I am much more interested to see these current teams succeed and the technology brought into regular use.

Somebody is going to make this work and with the exposure of the x-prize we should start seeing them on the road. As I always say there is money to be made finding solutions to global warming.