Innovation

Japanese firm to build space elevator by 2050

The Japanese construction giant Obayashi says they will build a space elevator that will reach 96,000 kilometres into space. Robotic cars powered by magnetic linear motors will carry people and cargo to a newly-built space station, at a fraction of the cost of rockets. It will take seven days to get there. The company said the fantasy can now become a reality because of the development of carbon nanotechnology. Universities all over Japan have been working on the problems and every year they hold competitions to share and learn from each other.