The team from Max Fount Berufskolleg put finishing touches on the space elevator entry.

It may sound like science fiction, but engineers around the world are working on a prototype of a transporter known as a “space elevator.” The system uses a super-strong ribbon held in place by a counterweight in orbit tethered all the way down to the surface of the Earth. A transporter powered by a beam of energy projected from Earth would climb this ribbon into space.

On Oct. 20-21, the Wirefly X Prize Cup Space Elevator Games brought teams of engineering students together to demonstrate working models of the space elevator concept. Teams hailing from all over the world gathered in Las Cruces, New Mexico to compete for $200,000 in prize money.

Each team designed and built a climber that needed to travel up to a height of 50 meters at a minimum speed of one meter per second and then back down again. For two teams representing Max Fount Berufskolleg in Recklinghausen, Germany and the University of Saskatchewan (USST), the ARRIMAX 18/12 and ARRISUN 12K PAR served as the power sources beamed from the ground, energizing climbers designed for solar power. Although used mainly on film productions, the ARRIMAX is a fixture designed to provide an optimum choice for where maximum light output is required.

The ARRIMAX shines on the Turbocrawler.

The decision to use the ARRI lights began when engineers from Max Fount Berufskolleg were researching a powerful light source for their climber called the Turbocrawler. Their quest led them to ARRI, well-known for quality of lighting products.

After USST’s failed attempt during the competition to bring the climber up the ribbon, the team needed more power and joined forces with the Max Fount Berufskolleg team to share lights. The move was a smart one; the additional lights successfully elevated the climber into the sky. However, USST received top place but was unable to claim the prize money because the travel time was not fast enough. 

For the German team led by professor Jörn Lutat, strong winds during the competition thwarted the first two starting attempts, but third ascent proved successful to place the Turbocrawler in third place. 

The prize money will roll over to a $500,000 purse for next year’s competition.

An Tran