The London Times is running this article where Sir Arthur amusingly revises his orginal projection on when they'll stop laughing about building the Space Elevator.
"As its most enthusiastic promoter, I am often asked when I think the first space elevator might be built. My answer has always been: about 50 years after everyone has stopped laughing. Maybe I should now revise it to 25 years."
Sir Arthur C. Clarke is a personal friend of mine since I was first introduced to him by my late mentor J.B.S. Haldane on a visit to attend science association meetings in Sri Lanka in 1960. I have always enjoyed and continue to enjoy Clarke's imaginative and speculative fiction as well as non-fiction. Equally enjoyable are his personal conversations and emails over the years, all sparkling with his ready wit and brilliant ideas.
Space elevator is one of his many important ideas which, I am sure, is going to be a reality soon. The first space elevator should be called the "Arthur C. Clarke Space Elevator".
Dr. Krishna R. Dronamraju
President, Foundation for Genetic Research, Houston, USA,
Honorary Professor, Albert Schweitzer International University, Geneva;
Invited Professor, University of Paris,
Visiting Honorary Professor, Andhra University, India,
Honorary Research Fellow, University of London, U.K.