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A Canadian space company wants to build a space elevator that reaches 20 kilometers high. The company is called Thoth and the concept is called the Thoth X tower. The idea is to build a tower with reinforced inflatable sections. The middle is hollow. An elevator car would encircle the tower until it reaches the top. Thoth estimates the tower would cost $5 billion to construct. As a demonstration project, it would build a precursor tower measuring 1.5 kilometers tall. One feature of the project is the wind farm about three quarters of the way up. The 50 turbines could produce 1 gigawatt of continuous energy. That’s enough to power about 700,000 homes. The main purpose of the tower is to provide a take-off and landing platform for spacecraft. If your aircraft takes off at a 20 kilometer altitude, you can get to space in a single stage without the need for additional fuel stages. Thoth estimates this would save 30% on energy costs. RESTRICTIONS: NONE For story suggestions please contact tips@nextanimation.com.tw RUNDOWN SHOWS: 1. Space elevator climbs tower 2. Wind energy farm on tower 3. Aircraft taking off and landing at top of tower VOICEOVER (in English): “A Canadian space company wants to build a space elevator that reaches 20 kilometers high. You heard that right: 20 kilometers, or more than 12 miles.” “The company is called Thoth and the concept is called the Thoth X tower.” “The idea is to build a tower with reinforced inflatable sections. The middle is hollow.” “An elevator car would encircle the tower until it reaches the top.” “Thoth estimates the tower would cost $5 billion to construct.” “As a demonstration project, it would build a precursor tower measuring ONE and a HALF kilometers tall.” “One feature of the project is the wind farm about three quarters of the way up.” “The 50 turbines could produce 1 gigawatt of continuous energy. That’s enough to power about 700,000 homes.” “The main purpose of the tower is to provide a take-off and landing platform for spacecraft.” “If your aircraft takes off at a 20 kilometer altitude, you can get to space in a single stage without the need for additional fuel stages.” “Thoth estimates this would save 30% on energy costs.” SOURCES: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-space-elevator-tower-idUSKCN0R21VE20150903 *** For story suggestions please contact tips@nextanimation.com.tw For technical and editorial support, please contact: Asia: +61 2 93 73 1841 Europe: +44 20 7542 7599 Americas and Latam: +1 800 738 8377 ----------------------------------------­­---------------------------------------­-­---------------- Next Animation Studio’s News Direct service provides daily, high-quality, informative 3D news animations that fill in for missing footage and help viewers understand breaking news stories or in-depth features on science, technology, and health. Sign up for a free trial of News Direct's news animations at http://newsdirect.nextanimation.com.tw/Reuters.aspx To subscribe to News Direct or for more info, please visit: http://newsdirect.nextanimation.com.tw/Index.aspx