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In 2001, a NASA team was formed to research the feasibility of a Space Elevator. The team concluded that constructing one was theoretically possible, and there were many reasons to build it. The LiftPort Group was born out of that NASA team.
However, one can't just construct the largest engineering project in human history in one stage. We knew that no material existed (or currently exists) that is strong enough to build a Space Elevator. Developing one will require billions of dollars we don't have (yet) and years of persistence. The LiftPort Group business model was thusly based on creating profitable spinoff companies from Space Elevator research. Tethered Towers is one of those spinoffs. |
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When we started, we had much to learn about carbon nanotubes, robotics, and how they function at high altitudes. We started testing robots as they climbed cables, first in our office and eventually a mile into the sky, held aloft by helium weather balloons.
We realized that this system, which was just meant to further test the robotic lifter concept, had many real world applications. High altitude industrial balloons can stay in the air for weeks on end, and our robotic lifters can carry communications arrays and observation tools (read: powerful cameras) to the top of these balloons. The whole system can be stationary or mounted from a truck and deployed in an hour.
This gives the tethered towers system applications for natural disaster relief, agriculture, security, advertising, adventure activities, weather monitoring, and the military. See our applications page to learn more about the usefulness of this simple yet innovative technology.
We realized that this system, which was just meant to further test the robotic lifter concept, had many real world applications. High altitude industrial balloons can stay in the air for weeks on end, and our robotic lifters can carry communications arrays and observation tools (read: powerful cameras) to the top of these balloons. The whole system can be stationary or mounted from a truck and deployed in an hour.
This gives the tethered towers system applications for natural disaster relief, agriculture, security, advertising, adventure activities, weather monitoring, and the military. See our applications page to learn more about the usefulness of this simple yet innovative technology.
