Alex Goldmark reports on the new NASA-inspired space elevator design that is primed for testing and could make it possible for billionaires to step foot on the moon sooner than later.
LiftPort President Michael Lain has his hands full with a very awe-inspiring task: designing the first-ever space elevator. Goldmark writes that NASA held a Space Elevator Games competition back in 2009, which has continued to inspire new groups, including LiftPort.
The purpose of this space elevator, claims Goldmark, is to expand current modes of space travel at a much reduced cost. In an interview, Lain describes the elevator as "a ladder that you can climb into space with using robots instead of rockets."
Lain is preparing to begin testing soon, and whether his experiments succeed could mean another major step forward for mankind into the great unknown.
FULL STORY: Interview: Space Elevators Inch Closer to Reality

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

HSR Reaches Key Settlement in Northern California City
The state’s high-speed rail authority reached an agreement with Millbrae, a key city on the train’s proposed route to San Francisco.

Washington State Legislature Passes Parking Reform Bill
A bill that would limit parking requirements for new developments is headed to the governor’s desk.

Missouri Law Would Ban Protections for Housing Voucher Users
A state law seeks to overturn source-of-income discrimination bans passed by several Missouri cities.
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