Looking into: Space Elevators

Have you ever thought about going into space? Well a new technology known as carbon nanotubes has permitted the exploration of space elevators. These tubes are lightweight, and a very strong material. The only problem is, it would be very difficult and not economically feasable to build a 35,000km tube into outerspace. Due to high amounts of radiation in space, it would be too dangerous for people to be sent up in a space elevator, but would be fine for most cargo. There have been competitions held to see who comes up with the greatest design for a space elevators with cash rewards of many thousands of dollars. The elevator would most likely be powered by a high energy laser, which would be located on the ground and would charge a solar panel, thereby propelling it up. This laser would also be a problem though because so far there isn't enough technology to build a laser that strong. The base of the elevator would be located out in the ocean, as to avoid some environmental issues. Of course there are other issues such as the danger of asteroids hitting the elevator, or the collapse of the structure, but as the plans for a space elevator develop, some of the flaws may be overcome. Due to the recent discovery of carbon nanotubes, there has been a more in depth look at space elevators.