Book · 2022 · nyt:hardcover-nonfiction=2023-05-28
When the Heavens Went on Sale
- mentions
- 17
- people
- 2
- podcast
- 1
- episode
- 1
- critical mentions
- 0
When I first heard that you were going to write this book and it was called When the Heavens Went On Sale, I was like, hot damn, this is going to be the book.
What they say about it
- Focus of the book“focus of my book”2
- Why he wrote it“why I wanted to write the book”2
The best things said about it
I really enjoyed the book. I think there's a lot to talk about here.
This is the focus of my book is trying to build an economy in low earth orbit through thousands upon thousands of satellites.
This is really meant to be more of a narrative, a story more than anything else. You know, it's kind of written for a mainstream audience.
It shows people the struggle and why this is still hard.
This is kind of why I wanted to write the book is that like every space story anyone listening to this has ever seen on TV or read in a book is like our best and bravest pilots.
Why people recommend it
When the Heavens Went on Sale by Ashlee Vance is a non-fiction book that explores the modern commercial space race, focusing on entrepreneurs and capitalists attempting to build a thriving economy in low Earth orbit through thousands of satellites. Alex Kantrowitz recommended and discussed the book on Big Technology Podcast, expressing his enjoyment and noting that it covered unexpected territory beyond just SpaceX. Vance appeared on the program to discuss the publication, highlighting his argument that SpaceX's fourth attempt at launching the Falcon 1 rocket and reaching orbit in 2008 was a seminal moment for the industry. Vance explained that the book centers on a competitive race among private companies to establish commercial ventures in space, detailing firms like Planet that focus on Earth imaging. Kantrowitz shared his initial expectations for the subject matter and explored the broader implications of the commercial space industry with the author. Furthermore, Vance noted that outside of communications and imaging, the future viability of other commercial space applications remains uncertain, a topic he addresses in the work. The conversation underscored the transition of space exploration from government programs to private enterprise.
Every mention
Alex Kantrowitz I really enjoyed the book. I think there's a lot to talk about here. I think that the best place to start i… 5
Discussed
“So we're here to talk about your new book, When the Heavens Went on Sale.”
Recommended
“I really enjoyed the book. I think there's a lot to talk about here. I think that the best place to start is actually where you started off the book and the book doesn't really focus as much as I expected on SpaceX”
Discussed
“But, you know, it sort of leads me to the question I set up at the beginning here, which is like, when I first heard that you were going to write this book and it was called When the Heavens Went On Sale, I was like, hot damn, this is going to be the book”
Discussed
“And I think that, well, Kevin wheel from Twitter went over to planet and we've had him on the show. So I was somewhat aware that we're implanted as one of the books, one of the companies you cover in the book.”
Recommended
“The book is titled when the heavens went on sale. You can pick it up today.”
Ashlee Vance They've had a tough go of it. It's been lots of ups and downs, but that's really, that's the part of the bo… 12
Discussed
“And so, you know, the company starts around 2002 and then it takes them until 2008 to launch their first rocket, which was called the Falcon 1. And it took them four tries. But when that rocket reaches orbit, I argue in the book that it's this seminal moment”
Discussed
“And you had just like this race of capitalists trying to build, you know, this is the focus of my book is trying to build an economy in low earth orbit through thousands upon thousands of satellites.”
Discussed
“The last bit is that outside of imaging and communications, I write about this in the book. I mean, nobody really knows if anything else works after that.”
Discussed
“And, and the, the people who founded planet really are the most idealistic bunch in, in my, in my book. I mean, they, they would not want any part in a space war by nature.”
Discussed
“I mean, Russia's space business is, is basically kind of going away in part because of the war, but it was already on this huge decline because of SpaceX. And, and so all these rules that have existed for like 60, 70, 70 years, these boundaries, the like status quo”
Discussed
“I mean, yes, there are things in this book that are about business and space, but I mean, this is really meant to be more of a narrative, a story more than anything else. You know, it's kind of written for a mainstream audience, sort of like the, the right stuff”
Discussed
“They built a ton of the ICBMs and then the rocket bodies and had this just incredible expertise in, in engines, all kinds of stuff tied to aerospace. And so Max's great vision was that he was going to unite the Ukrainian aerospace industry”
Discussed
“And so these scientists have been like up for grabs and, um, kind of shockingly, like you'll find out in the book it's on the internet. So I don't mind saying it. Um, max puts $250 million into Firefly”
Discussed
“I mean, it sounds bad to other people, but this is like normal operating procedure. And so, you know, after, uh, Elon and Jeff Bezos, Max had put the most money into a private rocket company and, uh, and just never really got to enjoy it.”
Discussed
“They've had a tough go of it. It's been lots of ups and downs, but that's really, that's the part of the book. It's one of my favorite parts. Cause it's like this, it shows people the struggle and why this is still hard”
Discussed
“I mean, every, this is another, this is, you were asking at the beginning, like, why not the billionaires? I mean, this is kind of why I wanted to write the book is that like every space story, anyone listening to this has ever seen on TV or read in a book is like our best and bravest pilots”
Discussed
“I would say, I would say people, something like equally fascinating has happened in that space, which is that this thing that was a very academic pursuit for like 20 or 30 years.”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
Passing
“It's just like, I was, I felt like I had done so much SpaceX and Tesla stuff and was doing the new book. And, uh, and so I don't know. I got my first big Neuralink piece coming here soon.”