Who needs spaceships when...

[Kezzer]

You've got a willy wonka styled elevator!

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7201

Another competition in order to take a robot into outer space via an elevator! This should be very interesting Wireless power as well

I presume NASA are trying to advance technology by holding competitions. Anyway, it seems quite interesting

EDIT: In other further technology news, here's a real life looking robot which can speak 4 languages!

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7197

[iMc]

Some more interesting links, i really should check out that site more often, or I could just leave it to Kezzer our residant newscientist.com reporter!

[scotty6435]

$50,000 is a bargin price for NASA for what will be concievably an amazing breakthrough (although probably not going to be realised for 50 or so years).

[iMc]

I think once they have a material they know can do the job it won't take them more than 10 years to sort out what they want to do with it.

I mean the X Prize happened last year and Richard Branson is already developing it for commercial flights which should happen in the next 5-8 years.

[Kezzer]

Still, imagine seeing an elevator stretch up to space And imagine being able to get on that elevator and just take a ride up to MIR or something

[iMc]

Would be absolutely amazing! I can't imagine what it would look like! How thick would it need to be, and what if something hit the thing on the other end?! They will have to make it so it can flex and bend to a certain degree...