World's first space elevator opens

Space is said to be the final frontier. But at $10,000 simply to put a shuttle into low-Earth orbit, the struggles seem monumental in light of the risk-reward payoff. However, after 30-odd years of construction, a 35,786 km steel cable is erected in Haro Strait, off the coast of Vancouver Island. An elaborate series of barges and docks circle the tower’s base, where pulleys and levers wait to haul precious equipment and building materials into low-Earth orbit. The ISS is the first served, with the elevator being used to shuttle supplies in and out at a fraction of the original cost. Already, tourist companies and independent industries vie for limited use of the tower. Space has never been closer.