Japanese construction company plans to have a space elevator by 2050

Japanese construction company plans to have a space elevator by 2050
(Image credit: iStock)

Japanese construction giant Obayashi has announced its plans to have a working space elevator by 2050.

The elevator could reach nearly 60,000 miles into space, which could start a revolution for space travel. Its robotic cars would transport passengers to a space station for significantly less than the cost of rockets, and the elevator could eventually eliminate rockets entirely. While space shuttles cost roughly $22,000 per kilogram of space cargo, the elevator would average just $200 per kilogram.

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Meghan DeMaria

Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.