An artist's concept of the proposed space elevator

The elevator would climb on a cable made of nanotubes -- tiny bundles of carbon atoms many times stronger than steel. The cable would be about a meter wide and thinner than a piece of paper, but capable of supporting a payload of up to 13 tons.

The cable would be attached to a platform on the Equator, off the Pacific coast of South America where winds are calm, weather is good and there are few commercial flights.

NASA has given the project more than $500,000 to study the idea and Congress has earmarked $2.5 million more.

The Japan Times Weekly: July 3, 2004
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