Learn about commercial spaceflight's most successful startup in this
fully updated book, which follows the extraordinary feats of engineering
and human achievement that have placed SpaceX at the forefront of the
launch industry and positioned it as the most likely candidate for
transporting humans to Mars.
This second edition emphasizes SpaceX's much-hyped manned mission to the
Red Planet. With a plethora of new material gathered from 2013 to the
present, the text offers the most up-to-date portrait of the maverick
band of scientists and engineers producing some of the most spectacular
aviation triumphs of the 21st century.
Topics covered in this book include: all CRS flights, the challenges of
developing retro-propulsion, and the pathway towards realizing the
Falcon Heavy and BFR. In addition, the chapters describe SpaceX's
emphasis on simplicity, low-cost, and reliability, and the methods the
company employs to reduce its costs while speeding up decision-making
and delivery. Detailing the Falcon 1, Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch
vehicles, the book shows how SpaceX is able to offer a full spectrum of
light, medium, and heavy lift launch capabilities to its customers and
how it is able to deliver spacecraft into any inclination and altitude,
from low Earth orbit to geosynchronous orbit to planetary missions.
This book is the perfect go-to guide on SpaceX for anybody working or
interested in the commercial space arena.