North Seattle Community College

Hear about the space elevator* being developed by LiftPort Group, nanotechnology’s role in the project and the technical, societal, financial and legal challenges to making the elevator a reality.
Learn more about LiftPort at http://www.liftport.com/

*The space elevator is a low-cost, mass-transportation system into space. The system will be based on a robotic ‘Lifter’ able to carry ten times the current capacity of rockets at 1/100^th of the cost. In order to make the space elevator, materials that are much lighter and stronger than any currently available will be required. Nanotechnology holds the promise to manufacture the materials that are needed for the task.

These lectures are free and open to the public
Sponsored by the Nanotechnology program at
North Seattle Community College
Get directions to campus, a campus map, parking and transportation information at http://www.northseattle.edu/maps/

Learn more about NSCC’s nanotechnology program at http://www.northseattle.edu/nanotech/
What is nanotechnology?
Nanotechnology is a field of applied science and technology covering a broad range of topics. The main unifying theme is the control of matter on a scale smaller than one micrometre, as well as the fabrication of devices on this same length scale. It is a highly multidisciplinary field, drawing from fields such as colloidal science, device physics, and supramolecular chemistry.

Nanotechnology is also an umbrella description of emerging technological developments associated with sub-microscopic dimensions. Despite the great promise of numerous nanotechnologies such as quantum dots and nanotubes, real applications that have moved out of the lab and into the marketplace have mainly utilized the advantages of colloidal nanoparticles in bulk form, such as suntan lotion, cosmetics, protective coatings, and stain resistant clothing.

Here’s your opportunity to learn more about this emerging technology and two fascinating applications that are in development.