200,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿 

Black Friday Sale on Now! Save up to 25% off Books, Toys, Board Games, & Puzzles! ✨

When The Heavens Went On Sale

The Misfits and Geniuses Racing to Put Space Within Reach
By Ashlee Vance
0.0 (0 reviews)
4.24 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating. ( 1,966 ratings, 221 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
When The Heavens Went On Sale by Ashlee Vance explores the rise of private companies in the space industry. It delves into the ambitions and ventures of entrepreneurs who are shaping the future of space exploration and its commercial potential, providing insights into the new space race outside of government agencies.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock

Sorry, we're currently out of stock of When The Heavens Went On Sale. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you are fascinated by the new space race driven by private companies. It provides an in-depth look at the innovative entrepreneurs changing the way we think about space exploration and industry.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A momentous look at the private companies driving the revolutionary new space race, from the 3-million copy, New York Times bestselling author of Elon Musk.

An instant New York Times Bestseller

'One of the most exciting tales of our time... It's the next tech frontier, and Vance turns it into a thriller' — Walter Isaacson, author of Steve Jobs

'Eloquent, expertly reported' — Brad Stone, author of The Everything Store

In 2008, Elon Musk's SpaceX became the first private company to build a low-cost rocket that could reach orbit. Suddenly Silicon Valley, not NASA, was the epicentre of the new Space Age.

Ashlee Vance follows four pioneering companies - Astra, Firefly, Planet Labs and Rocket Lab - as they race to control access to outer space. While the space tourism ambitions of billionaires such as Bezos and Branson make headlines, these under-the-radar companies are striving to monetise Earth's lower orbit; to connect, analyse and monitor everything on Earth.

With unprecedented access to private company headquarters, labs and top-secret launch locations - from the US to New Zealand, Ukraine to India - Vance presents a gripping account of private jets, communes, gun-toting bodyguards, drugs, espionage investigations and multimillionaires guzzling booze as their fortunes disappear.

This is the most pressing and controversial technology story of our time. Welcome to the new Wild West above the clouds.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

When The Heavens Went On Sale has been praised as an exuberant and thrilling exploration of the new space economy. Critics highlight Ashlee Vance's immersive and lively writing, capturing the ambition and idealism of modern space entrepreneurs. The book has been described as an insightful and expertly reported account of the dynamic figures driving the new space age, making space exciting once more.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780753557778

Publisher: Ebury Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 11 May 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: W H Allen

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 38.0mm

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 670g

Pages: 528

Collections

Ashlee Vance Biography & Memoir Business & Entrepreneurship Business Biographies Education & Reference Engineering, Technology & Agriculture Non-Fiction Penguin Books Science & Nature Science & Technology Biographies Start-ups & Entrepreneurship Tim's Picks

About the Author

Ashlee Vance is one of the most prominent writers on technology today. After spending several years reporting on Silicon Valley and technology for the New York Times, Vance went to Bloomberg Businessweek, where he has written dozens of cover and feature stories for the magazine on topics ranging from cyber espionage to DNA sequencing and space exploration.

Also by Ashlee Vance

View all
  • On Sale
    26% off
    Elon Musk
    "I would like to die on Mars, just not on impact." - Elon Musk South African-born Elon Musk is the renowned entrepreneur and innovator behind some of today's most revolutionary companies including PayPal, SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity. Elon Musk by Ashlee Vance offers a deep dive into the life of this complex genius who wants to save our planet, colonise...
    By Ashlee Vance
    Paperback
    $2000
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • When The Heavens Went On Sale
    Bestselling author of Elon Musk—over 1.5 million copies sold—returns with an incredible, untold new story of the renegade space race and the new wild west above the clouds. An instant New York Times Bestseller 'One of the most exciting tales of our time... It's the next tech frontier, and Vance turns it into a thriller' - Walter Isaacson, author of...
    By Ashlee Vance
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Elon Musk Young Readers’ Edition
    The story behind the real-life Iron Man - told especially for young readers. Elon Musk Young Readers’ Edition is an inspirational account of a remarkable role model for young entrepreneurs, Elon Musk, who continually breaks boundaries and revolutionises the tech world. Known as the real-life inspiration for the Iron Man series of films, starring Robert Downey Junior, Musk's journey is...
    By Ashlee Vance
    Paperback
    Sold Out

Browse lists from our team

The Latest at Book Hero

View all

More from Biography & Memoir

View all
  • New Release
    One Helluva Ride
    "This book is about where I came from, what I fought against, and what I chose formyself. Fame can blur the truth; this is my attempt to bring it back into focus." A legendary actor and Hollywood Icon whose five-decade career spans film, television,and producing, Michael Douglas has won two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, fiveGolden Globes, a Primetime Emmy,...
    By Michael Douglas
    Paperback
    $3200
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    A Life in Lyrics
    Freddie Mercury was one of the greatest showmen of the twentieth century. With his unparalleled voice and searing on-stage energy, he was a great pretender, a killer queen and a champion of the world. But behind the glamour lived a musician and lyricist talented beyond measure, and the creative force behind one of the most culturally significant and musically diverse...
    By Freddie Mercury
    Hardback
    $5000
    Elsewhere:
    $6500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Nothing to Lose
    New Release
    Nothing to Lose
    There's no one as dangerous as someone who believes they have nothing to lose. Eight years ago, Nix Adams started posting videos on Facebook while she was freshly out of jail, in order to show her kids that she was sober and on the path back to them. It was after her youngest child, Alaska, died suddenly of a virus...
    By Nix Adams
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?
    Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?
    The book we've all been waiting for, national treasure Judi Dench opens her almost inexhaustible collection of memories from life and acting. Join Judi as she lifts the curtain on cherished memories and hilarious anecdotes from seven decades of performing with some of the greatest names in theatre. Step behind the camera as she reprises her most famous roles, such...
    By Judi Dench
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Drive
    New Release
    Dylan's Pick Dylan's Pick
    Drive
    A thrilling, candid and uncompromising memoir covering over twenty-years at the pinnacle of Formula 1, Drive sees Christian Horner, one of the sport’s biggest characters, take readers into the heart of Red Bull Racing as he reflects on his extraordinary career. For over twenty years Christian Horner built and ran Red Bull Racing, transforming a rookie team acquired for £1 into one...
    By Christian Horner
    Paperback
    $3999
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Book cover for 'Swan Song: Diana, my sister' by Charles Spencer, featuring a black-and-white portrait of Diana with white and gold text on a gray background.
    On Sale
    18% off
    New Release
    Swan Song
    Beautiful. Beloved. Hunted. The extraordinary life and death of Diana, as told by her brother, Charles – available to pre-order now. ‘When asked, ‘What was it like, growing up with Diana?’, my first thought is always, But I don’t know what it was like not to grow up with her…’ In September 1997, Charles Spencer stood in Westminster Abbey before...
    By Charles Spencer
    Hardback
    $4500
    Elsewhere:
    $6500
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Fictional Selves
    From the beloved actor and star of Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet and Sex and the City comes a candid and deeply personal memoir. In this highly anticipated memoir, the beloved actor and star of Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, Sex and the City and more shares his utterly original account of his offbeat journey in Hollywood, his battles with fear and...
    By Kyle MacLachlan
    Hardback
    $4799
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    The Steps
    The long-awaited memoir from a true Hollywood icon. We know Sylvester Stallone as one of the most revered actors, writers, and directors of all time, yet his life story is every bit as dramatic, intense, and inspiring as his greatest creations on screen. Bringing together a no-holds-barred account of a fascinating life with messages of hope, positivity, and resilience, in...
    By Sylvester Stallone
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    12% off
    New Release
    Shirl's Pick Shirl's Pick
    Home Again
    Join rock-legend, former Shihad frontman and lead singer of The Adults, Jon Toogood in this unflinching and no-holds-barred memoir Home Again.This is more than a rock story. Toogood looks back on a 37-year career that helped define New Zealand rock music, and the personal cost that came with it. From a music-obsessed childhood in Wellington to the deafening roar of international stages, this...
    By Jon Toogood
    Paperback
    $2800
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    24% off
    Dogs, Boys and Other Things I've Cried About
    From the social media superstar behind @SimonSits, Isabel Klee--known for her heartwarming tales of dog rescue--comes an utterly winning memoir about a twentysomething woman's search for true love in New York City and the dogs who helped her find it. A Jersey girl by birth, Isabel Klee had always wanted to live in New York City. At age 20, she...
    By Isabel Klee
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    12% off
    Lizzy's Pick Lizzy's Pick
    Famesick
    Chronicling the tumultuous decade between the premiere of Girls to her 2021 shotgun wedding (minus the baby, because she has no uterus), Lena Dunham takes us through her journey with her trademark mix of humor, unsparing honesty, and keen eye for detail. We peek behind the scenes - of her work, her family, her relationships, and her battle to reclaim her body...
    By Lena Dunham
    Paperback
    $2900
    Elsewhere:
    $3500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    25% off
    This Angry Pen of Mine
    This Angry Pen of Mine by Layne Staley invites you to dive into the untold creative world of Layne Staley, the legendary voice behind Alice in Chains. This extraordinary collection showcases his handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes, and so much more. Step into the world of Layne Staley like never before. For the...
    By Layne Staley
    Hardback
    $5500
    Elsewhere:
    $8999
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 200,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.