New Space Capitalism: The Entrepreneurial Path to the Stars, by Rainer Zitelmann, Skyhorse Publishing, 282 pages, $32.99
Much of the public is unaware of the gradual transformation of space activity from a purely governmental arena to a commercial industry—or mistakenly assumes that this change arrived only with SpaceX. Rainer Zitelmann's New Space Capitalism: The Entrepreneurial Path to the Stars offers a solid, brief summary of that history. While the book highlights other companies and the need for competition, it is somewhat too credulous about claims by SpaceX chief Elon Musk. But that is a minor fault in a useful introduction to the topic.
