Rocket Billionaires

Book excerpt: This “smart analysis of the New Space sector” goes inside the rapid rise and dramatic rivalry of private space companies SpaceX and Blue Origin (The New York Times Book Review). For the outsize personalities staking their fortunes on spaceships, the new race to explore space could be a dead end, a lucrative opportunity—or the key to humanity’s survival. Rocket Billionaires shines a light on Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos as they attempt to make history, reinvent the space economy, and feed their own egos. Beyond these two towering figures, Tim Fernholz introduces a supporting cast of equally fascinating entrepreneurs, from the irrepressible British mogul Richard Branson to the satellite internet visionary Greg Wyler. Fernholz’s fly‑on‑the‑wall reporting captures an industry in the midst of disruption. While NASA seeks to preserve its ambitious space program, traditional aerospace firms like Boeing and Lockheed Martin scramble to adapt to new competitors, lobbyists tussle over public funds, and lawmakers try to prevent this new space race from sparking global conflict. It’s a high‑stakes marathon that Fernholz recounts with expert analysis and revealing detail. Featured on NPR and PBS’s SciTech Now, and in Fast Company, Forbes, and the Wall Street Journal