[stcredzero]

We already have materials strong enough to do this:

http://duckduckgo.com/?q=hastol+tether

So long as you don't require the tether to be stationary and to meet up with a stationary point on the ground, you can have a space elevator with materials we already have.

[rorrr]

That made no sense. How you can have a space elevator if it's not geo-stationary?

You didn't actually say what materials are strong enough for this (that we can actually produce without bankrupting whole countries).

[stcredzero]

> That made no sense. How you can have a space elevator if it's not geo-stationary?

Apparently, you didn't read. The tether rendezvous is with a pod carried by a hypersonic spaceplane, not the ground. The tether can be spun, to make the ground speed of the tether-end even slower. Rendezvous slows down the spinning tether and lowers its orbit, but it can be boosted between rendezvous using very high ISP motors like ion thrusters, which dramatically lowers the amount of fuel to be lifted.

You didn't actually say what materials are strong enough for this (that we can actually produce without bankrupting whole countries).

Spectra and Kevlar have the required tensile strength for many proposed configurations. There is the added complication of dealing with ions, free radicals, and radiation, however.

[rorrr]

Kevlar is definitely not strong enough. Can't find the data on UHMW (Spectra) in the right units.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_elevator#Cable

[stcredzero]

Apparently, you are pedantic with terminology. So call it a "Skyhook" and read the HASTOL links. Kevlar is strong enough for some configurations, but none we'd be anxious to use.