Unfortunately, Vance’s story loses some of its shape, branching into loosely connected sections covering Planet Labs, the satellite company that Marshall started, and three rocket-launching companies ... In some of its best sections, Vance’s book is an exuberant ride... reveling in the do-it-yourself ethos of the new space business. It may not completely reach its destination; between the narratives here, it’s not fully clear that the new industry has reached escape velocity. But Vance makes a good case that the new generation of space entrepreneurs has managed to set up the launchpad.
The author 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.
Although some of Vance’s stories go on for longer than needed, he ably captures “the spectacular madness of it all.” With enthusiasm and solid research, this book is an entertaining, informative look at cutting-edge technology.
