LASER SAFETY ISSUES FOR THE 2009 SPACE ELEVATOR POWER BEAMING/CLIMBER COMPETITION

摘要

The concept of a space elevator was brought to public attention in part by the well known author, Arthur C. Clarke. It may still sound like science fiction, but with the advance of technology the concept becomes ever more nearly realizable. The space elevator will consist of a tether reaching from the Earth's surface to a body well beyond geosynchronous orbit. An elevator, or climber, will move up and down along this tether, ferrying materials and/or personnel into space. The Spaceward Foundation is determined to promote progress toward the eventual realization of a space elevator. In 2009 their Power Beaming Challenge features a $2M prize (provided by NASA) for the device (climber) that can most quickly climb a tether to a height 1000 m above the ground using only power beamed to it from the ground. The competitors will use a ground-based 8000 W laser as their power source, which raises interesting and perhaps unusual laser safety issues.