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S P O N S O R SGeneral InformationSponsor LetterSponsor ListSponsor Levels
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S P O N S O R L E T T E RDear Prospective Sponsor, The Student Space System Fabrication Laboratory (S3FL) at the University of Michigan has assembled a team to take part in The Spaceward Foundation’s annual Elevator: 2010 competition and the team needs your support. This competition is an official NASA centennial challenge, and like the X-prize and American SolarCar Challenge, it has attracted private and university competitors from around the world. MClimber from the University of Michigan has already entered in this year’s competition for space elevator prototypes (www.spaceward.org). The goal of the competition is to design, build, and operate a space elevator climber prototype between 10 and 25 kg (60 lbs) that can ascend a 100m ribbon at 2+ m/s carrying as much load as possible. To make the project even more challenging, the only power driving the craft must be beamed there remotely. Our current design calls for two square meters of solar panels illuminated with high-intensity spotlights. MClimber participated very successfully in the 2006 competition, being the first team to fully ascend the ribbon. However, no team was able to meet the speed requirement and claim the purse money. The 2007 competition will be more intense than last year’s, and 2008 even more so because the design requirements are increased every year. The purse for the 2007 competition will be $500,000 and will grow even larger for 2008. We are confident that our knowledge, experience, and past success will be able to tip the scales in our favor. Currently, we are planning our entry for the 2008 competition and we are looking for your support to help us create a competitive entry as the Space Elevator challenge becomes more difficult. Over the past year, MClimber has been working hard on the planning and development for the 2007 climber and competition. The team was able to get in-kind donations to construct the body of the climber out of carbon fiber. The team was also successful in getting monetary support from the Student Space System Fabrication Laboratory (S3FL, our parent organization) for a total amount of $2,500. We also received donations from the University of Michigan Engineering department and with the money we have received we will just be able to operate with a shoe-string budget for 2007. However, with the increased demands of the competition and the increased competition, it is inevitable that we will require additional support. In order to effectively compete in 2008 we will be radically redesigning our power system. The costs of developing and producing this new system will surpass our previous light powered system and we need your support to make our 2008 entry happen. We have enclosed a budget for your review. We estimate total expenditures for the 2008 competition cycle at approximately $ 80,000 – including the purchase of material and equipment for fabricating and testing the Climber, and traveling and logistical necessities leading to the competition. This estimate includes monetary and in-kind donations to our project. In particular, a donation can help us in reaching our goal. In addition to supporting a great project, this contribution will help purchase material and equipment that will also be of use to future S3FL projects’ students (5 Electrical Engineers, 17 Aerospace Engineers, 7 Mechanical Engineers, and 1 Nuclear Engineer are involved with Mclimber, and S3FL has a total of approximately 150 student engineers in its organization). While we hope to cover most of our costs through in-kind donations, the fact of the matter is that we will most likely be unable to field a proper climber for 2008 without your support. The goal of the Elevator: 2010 competition is to prove the feasibility of a beam powered elevator for possible future space applications. To date, there are currently more than 30 teams registered from universities, private industry, and hobbyists. Prizes are given to the three best teams. MClimber is looking very competitive and any winnings from the competition will be reinvested in the University through future S3FL projects. This competition will be one of the first opportunities for the public to see what a Space Elevator looks like and how one might work. The event provides a one-of-a-kind exposure opportunity. The event will be a high-attendance space fair where press coverage will be extensive. National and local networks, the scientific and mainstream press as well as numerous scientific and space related websites will all report on this important event. The event presents significant visibility opportunities for your company The 2006 competition garnered significant press coverage both for the team and for our sponsors, with exposure in national television, print, and electronic media. With the increased prize purse and the continued support of major government and private sponsors, there is no doubt that the 2008 competition will have the most media coverage of all Space Elevator competitions thus far. It would be a pleasure for us to come and present our project if you would like. For more information please contact Andrew Lyjak at (734)604-6163 or lyjak@umich.edu. We hope to hear from you soon. Sincerely, Julie Bellerose, AERO PhD candidate, Executive Committee Advisor Also, if you are interested, please take a look at the Competition's website, http://www.spaceward.org/elevator2010 and our websites, http://www.mclimber.org and http://data.engin.umich.edu/s3fl/mclimber
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