NASA: One of three teams in a NASA competition to demonstrate power beaming technology won $900,000 in prize money last week.
Seattle-based LaserMotive won the prize by using laser power to move a climber robot up a one-kilometer ribbon at a speed of about four meters a second, twice the speed needed to qualify for the prize.
Two other teams also participated in the competition but fell short of the minimum speed needed to qualify for a share of the prize purse.
The prize is meant to demonstrate wireless power transmission, a key technology needed for space elevators as well as other transportation applications. The competition is one of several that is part of NASA's Centennial Challenges prize program.
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