Building a modern-day cathedral

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Over the course of human history, projects that took decades or even centuries were not uncommon. The Pyramids took decades to build. Barcelona’s Sagrada Família is estimated to take 144 years to complete. Cologne Cathedral took over 600 years to finish. For most of these megaprojects, the architects of the time had access to none of the computerized technology, advanced manufacturing techniques, and sophisticated engineering knowledge that we have today. Instead, they came up with ingenious techniques and used the basic materials of their time - primarily brick, mortar, and stone. Yet in spite of all of these limitations, these buildings still stand today, and are among the most admired in the world.

We want to carry the same spirit into the 21st century: to work on building something that will likely take decades starting from the ground up. And while we do have the wealth of knowledge that the architects of the past didn’t, the challenges we face are no less intimidating. Our technology will take years to refine to a level that can reliably operate in the harsh, merciless environment of space. And ensuring that it all stays open-source requires the collective goodwill of our entire community over a very long span of time. Put simply, embarking on Project Elara requires a massive leap of faith — no less, in my opinion, than that of those medieval architects of centuries ago.

But I believe in this mission now, and I will believe in this mission 20 years from now. And I trust that the next generation of Project Elara’s leaders will carry the mission forwards, and so will the generation after them. With each passing generation, we come closer and closer to our end goal. Just as a trickle of water can gradually cut through stone, the collective contributions of many thousands of people — however small each — can one day build up the extensive resources and funding we need to bring our vision to reality. No matter how long it takes — even if it takes many generations — I have hope that one day, our vision of a better world can become reality.

We are well aware that abandoned projects, bankrupt companies, and broken promises of revolutionary technology litter our economic landscape — and it’s easy to see why, when you realize that nearly half of all startups fail in their first 5 years. But at Project Elara, we choose to differ. Our mission is not a sprint — it is a relay race. Our work has little “return on investment”, at least in a conventional sense. Our open-source ideals promote collaboration, not competition.

Embarking on something that isn’t done for profit is not a weakness, it is a strength. We can focus on the big picture and divide our work over decades precisely because we are not interested in short-term gains. We are not beholden to the will of venture capitalists or investors: our only stakeholder is the world, and our only motivation is our cause.

The builders of medieval cathedrals knew that they could not finish their soaring masterpieces within their lifetimes. But they embarked on a journey with hope and faith, knowing that one day, the children of their children will grow up to see their towering masterpieces touch the sky — symbols of a timeless faith that will last long after their time.

This article is open-source. A full repository of our articles can be found at https://codeberg.org/elaraproject/substack-archives.

Originally written by Jacky Song · edited by Aaron Domanski · March 4th, 2026.