Space-Elevator Tether Climbs a Mile High

by Kimm Groshong NewScientist.com, 15 Feb 2006 A slim cable for a space elevator has been built stretching a mile into the sky, enabling robots to scrabble some way up and down the line. The desired outcome of development and testing is a 62,000-mile tether that robotic lifters -- powered by laser beams from Earth -- can climb, ferrying cargo, satellites and eventually people into space. Read more