In Europe, Japan, India and the United States, scientists, engineers, and politicians are engaged in building the first  "Space Elevator". This is not a joke or some far flung sci-fi plot line. Within 20 years, payloads and people will ride an elevator into earth orbit;  and from there, to the lunar surface or Mars.

As I researched the notion of a space elevator for my story "The United States of Africa", I realized that the facts shot way past my fiction. As we speak, new companies are forming based on the notion that very soon, space travel may become as common as a ride to the top of the Empire State building. New industries that we can't even imagine are being formed. For instance:  mining the moon will become feasible (look up helium-3); solar panels along side the "ladder" could supply half the world's power needs; the tourism industry will take a really giant leap forward; and on and on.

As writers of color, this is an aspect of the future that must to be explored in our stories. I want to see Africa prospering in the bright glow of the future and and not drowning in the gray failures of the past. Exam the techno-politics of only Africa possessing the needed raw materials for building more Ladders. Black inventors can discover vital components of tech needed to make the thing work. There even are discussions of using the Ladder to fling spaceships to distant stars!

Take a deep breath and put pen to page.

Here are some reference links to get you started:

 2011 Space Elevator Conference:http://spaceelevatorconference.org/

Space Elevator Wiki --http://spaceelevatorwiki.com/wiki/index.php/Overview

Liftport Space Elevator -- http://www.liftport.com/

Wikipedia -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_elevator