http://www.mondolithic.com/04Gallery22.htm

"Aerospace engineer Brad Edward's plan for the space elevator centers on a carbon-nanotube-composite ribbon 62,000 mile long, 3 feet wide and thinner than a page of newsprint. The competing forces of gravity at the terrestrial end of the elevator and the centripetal acceleration at the deep-space end would keep the ribbon taut and stationary over a single position at Earth's equator. Climbing vehicles powered by Earth based lasers striking solar cells would haul various payloads/cargo/astronauts to various orbits. If a climber released a cargo or passenger vessel at the far end of the ribbon, the craft would have enough velocity to travel to the Moon, Mars, Venus or the Kuiper Belt. At a cost ranging from $6 billion to $24 billion, Brad feels that is truly within the means of several world governments and private industry."