Rocketry is a popular hobby and has grown from just a few scientists to the huge field it is today. In the beginning it was just a dream and it has been realized over time. The field of rocketry includes more than just NASA, ESA, Japan, China, and a hand full of others. It includes all the amateur and hobbyist also. Amateur rocketeers are really where everything started. Robert Goddard Built the first liquid fuel rocket that really opened up the field. Liquid fueled rockets are controllable and are very powerful and while their solid rocket cousins are very powerful once lit they can't be stopped.
The future of space is controlled by governments at this point. While there are several small companies trying break into the field, it will take them years to develop a small business to recover the initial cost. I am glad to see this development in the aerospace field. Space travel will bring many jobs and growth to the world at the farthest reaches of our system will take much more development to reach.
The Space Elevator has many good sides to it but, I just don't know if it will come to anything as the cost of development will be very high and the risk even greater. Safety is a must in anything transporting people but, I feel there are many issues they really have not thought out completely yet. Moving a large load with little cost of energy is great. The failure of such a system is my concern. Space junk and micro meteorites are a big concern for the International Space Station. The ribbon that would support the elevator would be able to recover from front impact but what about the side impact. While the chances are much lower for a side impact the ribbon doesn't have the same width and would be severed on a direct impact.