Even on the Ground, Space Elevators May Have Uses

by K. Young NewScientist.com, 26 Sep 2006 Balloon-borne platforms developed as precursors to space elevators could be used as high-altitude relay stations for wireless communications, a 60-day field test suggests. The hope is that one day a space elevator, comprised of a robot that will climb a strong tether about 60,000 miles long, will be able to send humans or other cargo cheaply into space. Read more