Teijin’s high-performance Technora para-aramid fibre will be used for the Space Elevator Challenge, an annual racing event for mock space elevators to be held in Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan from 7-10 August.

A space elevator is a proposed type of space transportation system, whose main component is a ribbon-like cable (also called a tether) anchored to the surface and extending into space. It is designed to permit vehicle transport along the cable from a planetary surface, such as the Earth's, directly into space or orbit, without the use of large rockets.

An Earth-based space elevator would consist of a cable with one end attached to the surface near the equator and the other end in space beyond geostationary orbit (35,800 km altitude). The competing forces of gravity, which is stronger at the lower end, and the outward/upward centrifugal force, which is stronger at the upper end, would result in the cable being held up, under tension, and stationary over a single position on Earth. Once deployed, the tether would be ascended repeatedly by mechanical means to orbit, and descended to return to the surface from orbit.

Technora will be used as the belt and rope hanging from large balloons positioned at an altitude of 1200 metres. Battery-powered robots, called climbers, made by participating teams will race up and down the Technora belt and rope to see which can travel the fastest and farthest.

Just in case you are having trouble visualising the space elevator concept, this video clip from the Japan Space Elevator Association should do the trick...

Outstanding strength

According to Teijin, Technora was selected for its outstanding strength, heat and fatigue resistance and dimensional stability. By withstanding the heat, abrasion and weight of climbers that weigh up to 50kg and travel at a maximum speed in excess of 100km/h, Technora is said to help to ensure stable running conditions.

Teijin first commercialized its proprietary Technora para-aramid fibre in 1987. Today it is used in a range of applications, including industrial ropes, cables, optical fibre cables, rubber belts and hoses and concrete reinforcement, among others. It was also used for the suspension cords that connected the enormous parachute to NASA’s Curiosity Rover, which landed safely on Mars in August last year.

The Space Elevator Challenge, organized by the Japan Space Elevator Association, is now in its fifth year and expects to gather approximately 25 teams this time.

Teijin is a technology-driven global group offering advanced solutions in the areas of sustainable transportation, information and electronics, safety and protection, environment and energy, and healthcare. Its main fields of operation are high-performance fibres such as aramid, carbon fibres and composites, healthcare, films, resin and plastic processing, polyester fibres, products converting and IT.

The group has 150 companies and around 17,000 employees spread out over 20 countries worldwide. It posted consolidated sales of JPY745.7 billion (USD 7.4 billion) and total assets of JPY 762.4 billion (USD7.6 billion) in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013.

www.teijin.com