Thoth Technology has successfully patented an inflatable “space elevator” that is so tall, it will would reach into low Earth orbit. The proposed structure is planned to be 20-kilometers-high (compared to the world’s tallest building, the 830-meter-high Burj Khalifa) and will be used for both sight-seeing activities and for space cargo deliveries. By launching space crafts from the tip of the tower, rocket fuel consumption would be cut by a third, making reusable space ships more practical. If pursued, the tower could take up to 10 years to construct at a cost of $5 billion.
An Inflatable “Space Elevator”
