When the Heavens Went on Sale: The Misfits and Geniuses Racing to Put Space Within Reach

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A momentous look at the private companies driving the revolutionary new space race, from the 3-million copy, New York Times bestselling author of Elon Musk I remember enjoying Ashlee Vance's biography of Elon Musk (although it's hard to like his subject nowadays), so I was eager to read the next volume of his space non-fiction saga. And I was not disappointed. Vance is a gifted storyteller, and once again he focuses not on science or technology but on the people behind it, while simultaneously painting a broad panorama of the current state of play in the field. In short, Planet was able to make giant strides in space because they started out small – literally. By pioneering new satellite control methods and demonstrating the power of miniaturization, they’ve greatly impacted our understanding of our home planet – and all of that from a bunch of space-loving hippies! A momentous look at the private companies driving a revolutionary new economy in space, from the New York Times bestselling author of Elon Musk Vance: Well, it's an area that I focus on less clearly in the book, and less in general. I just get so much more excited about low Earth orbit, because I think that's where the action is really taking place. I find a lot of this other stuff interesting and worthwhile but just so long term.

An] exciting account... provides finely observed portraits of the figures behind the aerospace companies...offers a fresh look at the new space race, and Vance's feels-like-you're-there storytelling captures the "spectacular madness" of the moonshots. It's The Right Stuff for the silicon age Publishers Weekly (starred review) The deployment of Planet’s revolutionary Doves satellites was groundbreaking. No other company in history had ever launched close to 88 satellites simultaneously before. Normally, you'd see one or two – four or five on a good day. Planet had to invent new ways to locate, control, and command their constellation of Doves as they whirled around Earth. It was like conducting an orchestra in zero gravity. An exuberant ride, happily hopping around the Pacific Rim from Kwajalein Atoll to California, from New Zealand to Kodiak Island, reveling in the do-it-yourself ethos of the new space business New York Times Book ReviewA momentous look at the private companies driving a revolutionary new economy in space, from the New York Times bestselling author of Elon Musk Imagine the limitless possibilities of the Internet, but now transpose that to the boundless expanse of space. That's the playground we're talking about. A new Wild West, not of horse-riding outlaws and gold rushes, but of aerospace engineering and visionary startups powered by private money. So, forget the old notion of space exploration that’s confined to bureaucratic government agencies. These four companies are shaking things up and showing us that space is for everyone. They’re empowering us all to aim for the stars while keeping our sights on making Earth a better place. The frenzied race by stargazing entrepreneurs to build a new economy in space is one of the most exciting tales of our time. Ashlee Vance, with his immersive reporting and exuberant writing, has captured the ambition and idealism of the colourful characters who are not only transforming our world but our heavens. It's the next tech frontier, and Vance turns it into a thriller Walter Isaacson, bestselling author of STEVE JOBS Vance also explores the broader implications of this new space era, both for humanity and for the planet. He examines the potential benefits and risks of opening up space to more players, such as democratizing access to information, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, creating new industries and jobs, but also increasing orbital debris, disrupting astronomy, and sparking geopolitical conflicts. He also raises some ethical and philosophical questions about our relationship with space, such as what it means to be a spacefaring civilization, who owns and governs space, and what are our responsibilities towards other life forms.

A fascinating read about an emerging, rapidly changing industry . . . . If, for any reason, you thought the people in the space industry were boring, When the Heavens Went on Sale will make it clear they far from it.” — The Space ReviewWith enthusiasm and solid research, this book is an entertaining, informative look at cutting-edge technology. Since this is a book about satellites and not astronauts, very little is said about the human settlement of space. Some company leaders, for example, believe sending people to Mars is an interesting idea. However, they also show more interest in their own efforts to commercialize low Earth orbit. Others, such as some of the founders of Planet, belong to an organization called the Open Lunar Foundation that wants to establish a human settlement on the Moon. But here's the best part: these companies aren’t simply out there for interplanetary colonization or moon tourism. Nope, these companies have their feet firmly planted on good ol' planet Earth. They're all about improving our lives via Earth-forward endeavors like climate change, resource management, and environmental monitoring. Each company uses space technology uniquely to gain valuable insights to help us better understand our planet and make informed, future-ready decisions.

With unprecedented access to private company headquarters, labs and top-secret launch locations - from the US to New Zealand, Ukraine to India - Vance presents a gripping account of private jets, communes, gun-toting bodyguards, drugs, espionage investigations and multimillionaires guzzling booze as their fortunes disappear.The Space Barons: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and the Quest to Colonize the Cosmos by Christian Davenport (2018)