Start: The Success Story of SpaceX. Elon Musk and the Team

Eric Berger has been reporting on SpaceX for over a decade, enjoying unprecedented journalistic access to the inner workings of the company. In his book, the author introduces readers to the company's formation, starting with the story of the failed launch of the first single-engine Falcon1 rocket in 2006, which ascended into the air for about 30 seconds before crashing into the ocean. There were two more failed attempts in 2007 and 2008. Had the last, fourth launch also been unsuccessful, SpaceX's fate would have been sealed. The company's success marked the beginning of a decade during which SpaceX was able to create rockets with 27 engines instead of one; developed two different spacecraft and mastered the landings of reusable rockets using mobile drone ships in open sea. This signified a level of production and achievement not seen since the space race of the 1960s. Eric Berger's book is based on exclusive interviews with dozens of former and current employees of the company, including Elon Musk. And the main character of the book is, of course, the enigmatic Musk, with his astonishing and bold vision for the future of space.