KC Space Pirates

In May 20, 2021, KC Space Pirates won one of 4 $50,000 second place prizes in phase 1 of NASA's Watts on the Moon Challenge.

The goal of the competition was to encourage universities and groups to research and create designs for beaming power to distant objects.

For the competition Spaceward used the Space Elevator concept to make it more challenging and to help show how beamed power could work.

The climbers are unmanned, have a maximum allowed weight of 25 kg (55 lbs), and may use no fuel or batteries to climb—they must only be powered by beamed energy.

The KC Space Pirates was the only 2009 team to have a fully automated laser tracking system.