Could we build an elevator to space?

The answer

A space elevator would consist of a cable stretching from Earth's surface to a counterweight beyond geostationary orbit (about 36,000 km up), with climber vehicles ascending the cable. The concept, first proposed by Tsiolkovsky in 1895, would dramatically reduce the cost of reaching space from about $20,000/kg to potentially $200/kg. The main obstacle is finding a material strong enough for the cable - carbon nanotubes and graphene are candidates but cannot yet be manufactured in sufficient lengths. Japan's Obayashi Corporation has announced plans for a space elevator by 2050.