[bombastinator @ Oct 23rd 2007 10:14AM]

As I have previously reiterated, the required length of ribbon cannot be created until they can do a full length carbon nanotube floss. Fiber composits cannot even theoretically achieve the strength required.

Until that happens all the rest of this is academic. This is basically a publicity stunt.

[CapnVan @ Oct 23rd 2007 6:23PM]

Of course it's a publicity stunt! That's why it's a contest!

Just like the X Prize. Or the Orteig Prize (that's the one Lindbergh won). They generate public interest in areas that the prize sponsors feel aren't receiving enough attention.

[Ryan @ Oct 25th 2007 9:02AM]

Fortunately, one of the team in the tether competition was a 100% carbon nanotube tether two meters long weighing two grams. Making technology steps in the right direction, which is the driving goal of the competition.

http://www.spaceelevatorblog.com/?p=826

Also, the competition is administered by a non-governmental, non-profit organization. NASA/the US tax payer pays very little for this and other prize competitions -- especially relative to the investment made by competing teams.

[bombastinator @ Oct 25th 2007 5:10PM]

This would be exteemely difficult as I believe the world record for a nanotube currently stands at a bit over 2mm. I could (and would be very happy to be) wrong on this, but to the best of my knowledge this is the case.

Delta-x had a nanotube rope, not a floss. Rope, much like yarn, is made of short fibers twisted together and held by friction. A floss is a group of strands that run in parallel the entire length of the object. The fact that this group would even temporarily think that this had even a prayer of working implies a very low level of scientific rigor, and even basic common sense.