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: I purposely wanted to move away from from the billionaires in space tourism, and missions to Mars, and focus on what I see as the more immediate and real goings-on in space and in low Earth orbit. Planet I see as a great example of the reason why we're going to low Earth orbits and what we can do. Their satellites represent both a lot of the idealism of commercial space and also the action of how going to space can actually do something for life on Earth. 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. 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.

Space.com: Many companies are now targeting the moon for commercial activity. Can you talk about which of the four companies you featured in your book are going there, and how? 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) The Space Barons: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and the Quest to Colonize the Cosmos by Christian Davenport (2018) 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. Space.com: Do you have a favorite story in the book highlighting international space outside of the United States?Full Book Name: When the Heavens Went on Sale: The Misfits and Geniuses Racing to Put Space Within Reach Those quibbles aside, the book is a fascinating read about an emerging, rapidly changing industry were success remains uncertain (Vance noted in the epilogue that there was a chance one of more of the companies profiled would not exist by the time the book was published; fortunately, all four are still around, although Astra is struggling financially.) 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 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 colorful 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 and The Code Breaker

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 A very interesting and comprehensive (read: very long) journalistic profile of four lower profile (read: not founded by Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk) consumer space companies that have arisen in the last ~10-20 years and have had varying fortunes: In When the Heavens Went on Sale, Ashlee Vance illuminates our future and unveils the next big technology story of our time: welcome to the Wild West of aerospace engineering and its unprecedented impact on our lives. 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 momentous look at the private companies building a revolutionary new economy in space, from the New York Times bestselling author of Elon MuskAn] energetic account...[Vance] ably captures 'the spectacular madness of it all.' With enthusiasm and solid research, this book is an entertaining, informative look at cutting-edge technology Kirkus I found this to be more of a cheerleading ramble than a serious look into the “Race for Space” ownership that is currently happening. I appreciate that several private companies are working hard to master space travel, but what does that mean to the vast majority of the population of the Earth? Not much. I know NASA scientists and the corporations that worked with them have paved the way to our modern age (cell phones and the computers that are an integral part of them, and so much, much more) but I get the feeling that only a select few of these pioneers will garner profits from this race. Vance: Planet Labs is in some ways the furthest along, in that it's already put up so many satellites and has delivered this service. But I think it's early days for people understanding how to use these images it provides. 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.

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! Ashlee Vance is the New York Timesbestselling author of Elon Muskand a feature writer at Bloomberg Businessweek. He is also the host of Hello World, a travel show that centers on inventors and scientists all over the planet. Previously, he worked as a reporter for the New York Times,the Economist, andthe Register.A] fantastic new book ... I can highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in space, especially if you want to know how space startups work behind the public promises and marketing ... [ When the Heavens Went on Sale] provides real insight into these companies and the people who toil in them." — Ars Technica Well-researched and insightful . . . An excellent addition to science or biography collections Library Journal