20km-high ‘space elevator’ to become a reality

A tower rising 20 kilometers into the sky may sound like something out of a sci-fi movie, but a Canadian space company has unveiled a plan for that.
Thoth Technology Inc. has recently been granted a US patent for a ‘space elevator’, which would be more than 20 times taller than the 829-meter-high Burj Khalifa in Dubai—currently the highest building in the world, and could be used to assist spacecraft to land and take off in the future.
According to the company’s website, the space tower will be used for wind-energy generation, communications and also tourism, and will help save more than 30% of the fuel of a conventional rocket.
“Astronauts would ascend to 20km by electrical elevator. From the top of the tower, space planes will have the ability to launch in a single stage to orbit, returning to the top of the tower for refueling and re-flight,” said Dr. Brendan Quine, the inventor.

Meanwhile, Caroline Roberts, president and CEO of the company, claims that the new elevator will usher in a new era of space travel.
“Landing on a barge at sea level is a great demonstration, but landing at 12 miles (around 20 kilometers) above sea level will make space flight more like taking a passenger jet,” said Roberts.
Although the completion due date of the building has not been unveiled, the new design has now won a lot of appreciation on Chinese social media but others are questioning its safety.
“Wow! Such a high-tech [building]! When will we [China] be able to build this?” wrote @Jiningbeihu.
“All I hope is safety,” posted @kuleHaolele.
“What materials can withstand the wind at an altitude of 20km? And remember the 9/11 attacks…” asked @Flight-Linghun.