Under the editorship of David Raitt, this timely book brings together
for the first time the record of people, places, developments and
activities, in fiction and in fact, of the space elevator - a 100,000 km
long, meter wide, ribbon reaching up from the Earth and into space along
which robotic climbers that will travel to bring payloads into orbit at
a fraction of the price of rocket launches. The chapters in the book
cover the early pioneers who dreamt up the concept initially some 120
years ago; the work of modern day scientists and engineers who have
developed the concept into doable plans; how the concept has been
portrayed in novels, films and art; the conferences at which interested
people could present and discuss their work and ideas; the global
community that has grown up around space elevators and the competition
challenges that have been held; and what the future may hold.