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“A colorful page-turner.” —Walter Isaacson, New York Times Book Review“As important a book on space as has ever been written.” —Homer Hickam, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Rocket BoysThe dramatic inside story of the historic flights that launched SpaceX—and Elon Musk—from a shaky start-up into the world’s leading-edge rocket company.SpaceX has enjoyed a miraculous decade. Less than 20 years after its founding, it boasts the largest constellation of commercial satellites in orbit, has pioneered reusable rockets, and in 2020 became the first private company to launch human beings into orbit. Half a century after the space race it is private companies, led by SpaceX, standing alongside NASA, pushing forward into the cosmos, and laying the foundation for our exploration of other worlds.But before it became one of the most powerful players in the aerospace industry, SpaceX was a fledgling start-up, scrambling to develop a single workable rocket before the money ran dry. The engineering challenge was immense; numerous other private companies had failed similar attempts. And even if SpaceX succeeded, they would then have to compete for government contracts with titans such as Lockheed Martin and Boeing, who had tens of thousands of employees and tens of billions of dollars in annual revenue. SpaceX had fewer than 200 employees and the relative pittance of $100 million in the bank.In Liftoff, Eric Berger, senior space editor at Ars Technica, takes readers inside the wild early days that made SpaceX. Focusing on the company’s first four launches of the Falcon 1 rocket, he charts the bumpy journey from scrappy underdog to aerospace pioneer. We travel from company headquarters in El Segundo, to the isolated Texas ranchland where they performed engine tests, to Kwajalein, the tiny atoll in the Pacific where SpaceX launched the Falcon 1. Berger has reported on SpaceX for more than a decade, enjoying unparalleled journalistic access to the company’s inner workings. Liftoff is the culmination of these efforts, drawing upon exclusive interviews with dozens of former and current engineers, designers, mechanics, and executives, including Elon Musk. The enigmatic Musk, who founded the company with the dream of one day settling Mars, is the fuel that propels the book, with his daring vision for the future of space.Filled with never-before-told stories of SpaceX’s turbulent beginning, Liftoff is a saga of cosmic proportions.

In "Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days That Launched SpaceX," author Eric Berger chronicles the gripping tale of Elon Musk's relentless pursuit to revolutionize the space industry. Berger takes us on a captivating journey through the turbulent early years of SpaceX, a company that dared to challenge the status quo and usher in a new era of space exploration.

The book vividly portrays Musk's unwavering determination as he navigates through numerous setbacks, financial struggles, and technical challenges. With each failed launch, Musk's resolve only deepens, driving him and his team to push the boundaries of innovation and overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Berger skillfully interweaves Musk's personal life, his vision for the future, and the intricate details of SpaceX's engineering feats. We witness the company's relentless pursuit of reusability, its audacious goal to land a rocket back on Earth after a successful launch. This revolutionary concept had never been achieved before, and it required a radical shift in thinking and engineering.

The book captivates readers with its behind-the-scenes access to the SpaceX team's tireless efforts, their triumphs, and their heart-wrenching failures. Berger brings to life the tense moments leading up to each launch, the exhilaration of success, and the agony of defeat. We come to understand the immense pressure and sacrifices made by the team as they work day and night to bring Musk's dream to fruition.

"Liftoff" offers a fascinating glimpse into the making of a modern-day space pioneer, Elon Musk. Berger's vivid storytelling and meticulous research paint a compelling portrait of a man who dared to dream big and changed the course of space exploration forever.