The Ars Technica senior space editor chronicles the first four historic flights that launched SpaceX, describing how, after three failed attempts, the fourth flight helped transform SpaceX from a shaky startup into the world's leading edge rocket company. Less than 20 years after its founding, SpaceX 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. Berger 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. He draws upon interviews with dozens of former and current engineers, designers, mechanics, and executives, including Elon Musk. -- adapted from jacket

Includes index.

Prologue -- Early years -- Merlin -- Kwaj -- Flight one -- Selling rockets -- Flight two -- Texas -- Flight three -- Eight weeks -- Flight four -- Always go to eleven -- Epilogue -- Key SpaceX employees from 2002 to 2008 -- Timeline -- Bulent Altan's Turkish goulash.