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

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So, if you're simply fascinated by Silicon Valley’s bold entrepreneurial spirit in the space arena or can't help but gaze at the night sky wondering about the cosmos, you're in for a treat. In this book by Ashlee Vance’s When the Heavens Went on Sale, we’ll explore how four pioneering aerospace companies are shaping this booming industry and the future of space exploration.

PDF / EPUB File Name: When_the_Heavens_Went_on_Sale_-_Ashlee_Vance.pdf, When_the_Heavens_Went_on_Sale_-_Ashlee_Vance.epubThe 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

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.Vance doesn't re-utilize stuff read/heard from others,he did reach out to all these companies (& people) directly, so then he could relate things as a direct observer - there's definitely unique value here, thanks to that Before we look at these companies’ pursuits, let’s first see what they have in common and how these traits have changed the space industry forever.

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.Now that you’ve learned Astra’s story, it’s time to uncover how Firefly – our fourth and final company – has made history in the space industry. Illuminating... For an insight into the people and culture driving the new space age, Mr Vance's book is the place to start. After the wonder of the Moon landings, space somehow contrived to become boring. These days it is exciting again Economist A momentous look at the private companies driving a revolutionary new economy in space, from the New York Times bestselling author of Elon Musk That's Firefly's story in a nutshell. It's all about big dreams, game-changing innovation, and a determination to break the aerospace industry’s mold.

When the Heavens Went on Sale” is a captivating and insightful account of the new space race, featuring four ambitious and innovative companies that are challenging the established players in the aerospace industry. Ashlee Vance, the author of the best-selling biography of Elon Musk, takes us on a thrilling journey behind the scenes of these startups, revealing their struggles, successes, and visions for the future. One big revelation about this book and the big takeaway from this book is the space infrastructure that surrounds our planet and the coming space infrastructure that will increase in this decade and beyond. There is currently about 5000 satellites surrounding the Earth. By the end of the decade, it is predicated the amount of satellites surrounding Earth will increase to 50,000 - 100,000. That's a lot! There are couple type of satellites around surrouding Earth: Weather Satellites, Imaging satellites that take photos of the Earth, Internet satellites that shoot internet down to the ground allowing anyone to connect to the internet no matter how remote they are (like Starlink), ones that anyone to do phone call by satellites, GPS, and even more. All these type of satellites already improve our lives and we don't think about it that much. And there are even more satellites going up within the next decade. Similar to how electronics improved every few years, the electronics in satellites also improve and we will have improved satellites NASA's space shuttle Atlantis stands atop Mobile Launch Platform-3 just hours before the liftoff of STS-135, the final mission of the 30-year space shuttle program in July 2011. (Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls) Fascinating people abound in the book, to the point that sometimes they crowd out some of the technical details. In the section about Planet, for example, Vance discusses that the early Dove satellites suffered many technical problems, from overheating to a change in focus of the camera lenses, that the company did not publicly discuss but raised questions, according to one employee, about whether the whole concept of cheap, mass-manufactured imaging cubesats would work. Planet overcame those problems, but the book elides that troubleshooting process. A momentous look at the private companies driving a revolutionary new economy in space, from the New York Times bestselling author of Elon MuskThe 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] exciting account…[Vance] provides finely observed portraits of the figures behind the aerospace companies…The focus on figures outside the limelight 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)