Space Elevator Journal

The Right Way to Get to Space

A Heated (and Premature?) Post-Mortem

Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again ....

Bob Dylan: Times They Are A-Changin'

Beset by lawsuits and financial problems Liftport Group is taking a standing eight count and trying to figure out whether to throw in the towel or come out swinging. Some of those sitting ringside are already calling it a TKO.

Marc Boucher of SpaceElevator.com wrote this yesterday morning;

"Building a Space Elevator will not be an easy endeavour. The hurdles to overcome are numerous. ... No one company today will start from scratch with the stated business aim of building a space elevator and succeed, it’s too soon." [!!!? --PB--]

"Companies today interested in the space elevator need to focus on technologies, materials needed for the space elevator and produce tangible spin-off products that can be made the foundation of a business. The space elevator is no ordinary product, so applying traditional business models and fundraising techniques won't work.

"Liftport created their own roadmap, one in which they stated that in 25 years they would start sending cargo up an elevator. What investor today who is thinking about a return on investment would consider such a long term investment? None who have the funds to get such an endeavour off the ground. And in applying traditional business models this is in part where Liftport went wrong. And I feel for those who made emotional decisions to invest in the Liftport Group. In fours years Liftport went from one company to a group of four companies. This was all part of the fundraising strategy. And while they got a lot of people excited, raised expectations and did do some work, for the most part what was produced was hype. And hype is not a product, and without a product and with your expenses mounting the day will come when your business fails."

And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
And there's no tellin' who
That it's namin'....

Bob Dylan: Times They Are A-Changin'

Michael Laine of Liftport took exception and replied in the comments section;

"Marc, you have gone way over the top with this post. [Liftport] is NOT dead. please re-read Brian's post. yes, I -personally- have a pretty big problem. And it changes our company - a lot. that said, we are still here, hurt, and fighting, but don't count us out just yet!

"The business model has not failed. It's perfectly intact. My -personal- ability to fund this project from my own checkbook is damaged. To date I have put in well over $400,000 of my own damn money into this project. Don't you dare start slandering me and my team by implying that the only thing we ever produced was 'hype'. We produced a realistic, working roadmap, (which was a catalyst for Bryan's effort) a small amount of carbon nanotubes on our own furnace, and robotic lifter systems that actually work - they have climbed into the sky...

"What have you and your 'buddies' done? What skin have you put into the game? What risk have you taken to further this elevator to space?

"This sort of mudslinging is unacceptable."

For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin'.

Bob Dylan Times They Are A-Changin'

Labels: "Space Elevator", Liftport, spaceelevator.com