Space to Grow - by Matthew Weinzierl & Brendan Rosseau (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Space is the next great, untapped market opportunity, and it's undergoing a commercial revolution right now. No, it's not hotels on Mars or day trips to orbit (yet), but it's still an awe-inspiring transformation driven by innovation, creativity, and new technology. A wave of companies led by gutsy entrepreneurs with big dreams about our opportunities beyond the atmosphere is the driving force for creating humanity's space future. But it's not happening through dreams alone. The space economy is just that-an economy-impelled by the same laws of supply and demand as any business. The authors, who teach a wildly popular course on the topic at Harvard Business School, explain how this market is forming, why it's forming so quickly (as access to space becomes dramatically more affordable and routine), and how it's fast becoming an increasingly important source of value for businesses across industries, and for society as a whole, propelling us once more toward the moon and beyond. Weinzierl and Rosseau bring to life this revolution through the players you've heard of-Musk's SpaceX and Bezos' Blue Origin-and many you haven't, like Astroscale, founded by an IT executive who quit his job to start a company to clean up space junk. With clarity and rigor, Weinzierl and Rosseau get past the breathless hype to explain what's real, what's not, what comes next, and how you can be part of the burgeoning market in the endless black ocean of space"--

Book Synopsis

Your guide--using the compelling stories of changemakers and the tools of economics--to the transformation and future possibilities of the business and economics of space.

Space is a place of unparalleled possibility for humanity, and it's undergoing a revolution. A wave of companies led by gutsy entrepreneurs is unlocking opportunities that fire the imagination and open up new business models. No, it's not hotels on Mars or day trips to orbit (yet), but it's an awe-inspiring transformation driven by innovative technologies, creative approaches, hard work, and--for the first time--market forces. Above all, this revolution is uncovering the simple but unfamiliar truth that space is a place: a place where countries, markets, and each of us can play a vital role in realizing some of our biggest, boldest dreams.

But we won't succeed through dreams alone. The space economy is just that--an economy--governed by the same laws of supply and demand that apply here on Earth. The authors, who teach a highly popular course on the topic at Harvard Business School, bring the revolution in space to life through players you know--like SpaceX and Blue Origin--and many you may not, like Astroscale, founded by a Japanese IT executive who quit his job to start a company to clean up space debris. They also bring to bear fundamental tools from economics to understand how the market in space is forming, how it's fast becoming a source of value for businesses across industries and for society as a whole, and how we can best ensure that its growth benefits us all.

With clarity and rigor, Weinzierl and Rosseau get past the breathless hype to explain what's real, what's not, what comes next, and how you can be part of it.

Review Quotes

"Space to Grow is an excellent way to learn about the current state of the space economy. This isn't your grandfather's space program. Instead of covering superpowers competing for national prestige, this book profiles individual companies doing incredible things in space. It's quite an outstanding read." -- National Space Society (NSS)

"Space to Grow: Unlocking the Final Economic Frontier by Harvard Business School professor Matthew Weinzierl and space industry expert Brendan Rosseau shows just how rich and interesting the space market is." -- Cybernews

"Space to Grow is a fun and informative read. It compellingly tells many stories that combine into a fascinating big story of the emergence of a commercial space economy." -- Clear Purpose

"They use economic concepts throughout the book to support their analyses of the companies they profile. Fortunately, you do not need a background in economics to appreciate that: Weinzierl and Rosseau do a good job explaining those concepts in plain language." -- The Space Review

Advance Praise for Space to Grow:

"The commercial space revolution, in tandem with advances in artificial intelligence, will reshape industries across the globe in the next decade. Space to Grow offers a comprehensive look at the history, key players, and economic forces that are driving this transformation. It's a must-read for anyone looking to understand new technology and the emerging opportunities it creates, including for businesses that might never have considered the impact of space on their industry." -- Kevin Weil, Chief Product Officer, OpenAI; former President, Planet; and former Head of Product, Instagram and Twitter

"Space to Grow is a wonderful book about the imagination, innovation, and innate drive of humans to explore and discover. I couldn't put it down. Weinzierl and Rosseau present stories of men and women who constantly pushed against the status quo and bucked the system in pursuit of their dreams of space transportation and exploration and developing a space economy. Its breadth and depth of research make it a must-read for anyone who wants an inside look at our space program from its beginnings to the visions for tomorrow." -- Charles F. "Charlie" Bolden Jr., former NASA Administrator; astronaut; and US Marine Corps Major General (Ret.)

"Space to Grow provides valuable insight into the environments that can help or hurt the future commercial space industry and the development of new markets and uses of space. This is also a cautionary tale: without an understanding of what actually enables innovation, growth could be stymied." -- Kathryn Lueders, General Manager, Starbase at SpaceX; former Associate Administrator, Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, NASA

"Weinzierl and Rosseau provide a compelling guide to the commercial space industry, one of the most exciting and improbable success stories in the history of American entrepreneurship. A fascinating read, smartly told, Space to Grow is a revelatory analysis of a new economic frontier well on its way to shaping the future of commerce as well as exploration." -- Christian Davenport, reporter, Washington Post; author, The Space Barons

"Space to Grow is a sharp and engaging dive into the economic revolution transforming space. Weinzierl and Rosseau lay out how market forces are turning space into the next economic frontier, and they do so with the most precision and depth of any book to date." -- Ashlee Vance, author, When the Heavens Went on Sale; host, Hello World video series, Bloomberg; and reporter, Bloomberg Businessweek

"Space to Grow is a compelling exploration of the transformation of space. Through insightful analysis and real-world case studies, Weinzierl and Rosseau reveal how companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and others are making space integral to everyday life. This book's thoughtful approach, based on key economic principles, equips readers with the knowledge to harness space's potential for innovation and societal benefit. A must-read for anyone looking to understand and engage with the future of space exploration and commercialization." -- Dylan Taylor, Chairman and CEO, Voyager Space; space industry angel investor

"Much of the discourse about this new era of commercial space has been filled with hype and hyperbole. Weinzierl and Rosseau instead offer a rational and nuanced examination, rooted in economic fundamentals, to explain the opportunities and challenges this changing market presents." -- Jeff Foust, senior staff writer, SpaceNews; editor and publisher, Space Review

"A handful of governments drove space exploration for decades, but that is now changing rapidly with the rise of commercial spaceflight. Space to Grow offers a fine guide to the tumultuous second space age, in which entrepreneurs and markets are the key agents of change. The book makes a passionate case for why space investment, if made carefully, is critical to the future of Western economies." -- Eric Berger, senior space editor, Ars Technica; author, Liftoff and Reentry

"Building on research at the Harvard Business School, the authors of Space to Grow provide fresh insights into the economic forces, competitive decisions, and public policy choices being navigated by the most innovative companies of the new space economy." -- Scott Pace, Director, Space Policy Institute, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University; former Executive Secretary, National Space Council

"A new space age has dawned. In this eminently readable book, the authors explore the development of new space using fundamental principles from economics, a dash of fascinating history, and interviews with key players. We loved that this is all done without the need to understand 'rocket science.'" -- Dan Hastings, Head of Aeronautics & Astronautics Department, MIT, and Dava Newman, Professor of Aeronautics, MIT; former NASA Deputy Administrator

About the Author

Matthew Weinzierl is the Joseph and Jacqueline Elbling Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and serves as Senior Associate Dean and Chair of the MBA program, where his award-winning research and teaching focus on economic policy and the business of space. He is the founder of the Economics of Space project at HBS and serves as an adviser on space to government agencies, companies, and investors. He is a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Brendan Rosseau is a recognized leader in the space industry, where he specializes in strategy. He previously served as a teaching fellow and research associate at Harvard Business School and as a consultant to the US Space Force. He has degrees in economics and astronomy from Williams College and is dedicated to using space technologies to bring about a more prosperous, peaceful, equitable, and exciting future.