Scientist, Bradley C. Edwards, believes that a space elevator could be reality within 15 years. The elevator would climb 62,000 miles and climb on a cable made of nanotubes.
"It's not new physics � nothing new has to be discovered, nothing new has to be invented from scratch," Edwards says. "If there are delays in budget or delays in whatever, it could stretch, but 15 years is a realistic estimate.."
NASA has already given over $500,000 to the Institute for Scientific Research in Fairmont to study the idea, another $2.5 million has been earmarked by Congress. "A lot of people at NASA are excited about the idea," said Robert Casanova from NASA.
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