they are unlikely to reach geostationary orbit. The concept of a Tsiolkovsky tower combined with a classic space elevator cable (reaching above the level of GEO) has been suggested. Other ideas use very tall compressive towers to reduce the demands on launch vehicles. The vehicle is "elevated" up the tower, which may extend as high as above the atmosphere, and is launched from the top. Such a tall tower to access near-space altitudes of has been proposed by various researchers. Other concepts for non-rocket spacelaunch related to a space elevator (or parts of a space elevator) include an orbital ring, a pneumatic space tower, a space fountain, a launch loop, a skyhook, a space tether, and a buoyant "SpaceShaft". Notes References Further reading A conference publication based on findings from the Advanced Space Infrastructure Workshop on Geostationary Orbiting Tether "Space Elevator" Concepts (PDF), held in 1999 at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama. Compiled by D.V. Smitherman, Jr., published August 2000. "The Political Economy of Very Large Space Projects" HTML PDF, John Hickman, Ph.D. Journal of Evolution and Technology Vol. 4 – November 1999. A Hoist to the Heavens By Bradley Carl Edwards Ziemelis K. (2001) "Going up". In New Scientist 2289: 24–27. Republished in SpaceRef. Title page: "The great space elevator: the dream machine that will turn us all into astronauts." The Space Elevator Comes Closer to Reality. An overview by Leonard David of space.com, published March 27, 2002. Krishnaswamy, Sridhar. Stress Analysis – The Orbital Tower (PDF) LiftPort's Roadmap for Elevator To Space SE Roadmap (PDF) Alexander Bolonkin, "Non Rocket Space Launch and Flight". Elsevier, 2005. 488 pgs. . External links The Economist: Waiting For The Space Elevator (June 8, 2006 – subscription required) CBC Radio Quirks and Quarks November 3, 2001 Riding the Space Elevator Times of London Online: Going up ... and the next floor is outer space The Space Elevator: 'Thought Experiment', or Key to the Universe? . By Sir Arthur C. Clarke. Address to the XXXth International Astronautical Congress, Munich, September 20, 1979. International Space Elevator Consortium Website Space Elevator entry at The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction Exploratory engineering Space colonization Spacecraft propulsion Spaceflight technology Vertical transport devices Space access Hypothetical technology Emerging technologies Articles containing video clips