Shizuoka University and contractor Obayashi aim to launch two small (10 sq cm) satellites connected by a 10m steel cable from the International Space Station.

Containers on the cable will move forward and back recorded by a camera.

Obayashi envisages a space elevator using six oval-shaped cars, each measuring 18m x 7.2m holding 30 people, connected by a cable from a platform on the sea to a satellite at 36,000 kilometers above Earth.

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The elevator would be powered by an electric motor pulley.

The cars would travel at up to 200kph and arrive at the space station eight days after departure from Earth.

The total length of a cable to be used for the vehicle will be 96,000 kilometers, and the total cost is estimated at $9 billion.

The cost of transport is expected to be about one-hundredth of that of the space shuttle.

Carbon nanotube is the most likely material to be used for the cables.