Space to Grow: Unlocking the Final Economic Frontier

by Matthew Weinzierl, Brendan Rosseau

An exploration of the dynamic transformations and future possibilities of the space industry.

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.

Genres: Space, Nonfiction, Economics, Business, Audiobook, Technology

314 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 25, 2025

Reviews

[Grantpinkston · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS. This feels like the definitive telling of the current state of space. An incredible TLDR of a lot of info. Better than any other space telling I’ve seen.

So many interesting points: follow the industries that are attracting the smart people. The first trillionaire will be an asteroid miner. That is SO COOL. Property rights, coordination problems!

Would you go to Mars?

By the way, Matthew and Brendan, let me know if you are hiring!

“Lego conducted a survey asking children what they wanted to be when they grew up. Over half of Chinese children responded ‘astronaut’. Western children’s top response? ‘YouTuber’”

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

While the space economy is growing, its exploration and utilization by nations and organizations around the world push us to the next level.

This book provided an excellent discussion of the actors and the challenges they have encountered exploring space. This included the low Earth orbit (LEO) and the outer space. You’ll get to know more about companies like SpaceX anf Blue Origin. I particularly like the discussion about space debris in one chapter and the concept of property ownership of minerals from asteroids in another chapter.

I don’t usually read about astronomy or space but I enjoyed reading this book.

[David Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice easy read.

Walks you through the Space program's short history, largely from a US perspective. Good high level view on where things are and where things are going. The latter half is highly speculative and moderately optimistic. Interesting timing to see how the book changed in future editions as the US political space scene evolves...

[Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re new to the rapidly expanding universe of space economics, Space to Grow might feel like a revelation—an accessible, clearly structured primer on the forces shaping the final frontier’s market potential. If, however, you've already perused a handful of recent titles on the subject, you may find yourself recognizing the contours of this particular launch sequence.

Matthew Weinzierl and Brendan Rosseau have delivered a well-written, concise exploration of the opportunities, challenges, and policy implications tied to the commercialization of space. The book strikes a readable tone without dumbing things down—a minor miracle in a field where “orbital debris mitigation” is considered light conversation.

To the authors’ credit, they manage to weave together government history, private sector ambition, and economic theory with a sense of proportion and clarity. Their approach is neither breathless with techno-optimism nor paralyzed by regulatory pessimism. Instead, it's grounded in the plausible: how market forces, public-private partnerships, and careful policy design can help space fulfill its economic potential without turning Earth’s orbit into a cautionary tale.

That said, for readers already versed in space policy or economics, much of the book’s terrain will feel familiar. The case studies, references, and forecasts echo material found in several other works published over the last few years. There’s little here that breaks truly new ground—though the clarity of presentation may still make it a worthwhile read for brushing up or recommending to a less initiated colleague.

In short, Space to Grow is a strong introductory text for those just beginning to explore the economics of space and a well-organized refresher for those who’ve already been floating in this orbit for some time. It doesn’t aim to be the most original voice in the room, but it speaks with clarity, purpose, and just enough propulsion to stay aloft.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been wanting to learn more about the growing space economy, and this book is the perfect primer on the subject. Some interesting facts: The world's first trillionaire will be an asteroid miner due to it being mineral rich. A survey by Lego indicated that kids in China wanted to grow up to become astronauts, while kids in the U.S. and U.K. wanted to grow up to become YouTubers. Future conflicts will be largely space-driven (GPS, satellites, communications, etc).

[Arun Guruswamy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely enjoyed learning about the current state and history of the space economy. The book was pretty thorough in its exploration and analysis. Wish there was a bit more forward looking analysis/speculation but the authors do emphasize that the applications that will present themselves are highly unpredictable and only tend to become apparent once there is more infrastructure in space

[Carl Harrison Greene · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable and interesting read. Does not require significant knowledge of space or economics.

A good mixture of optimism and realism.

[Xinyu Wu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not too much insights

[Erik]

Well written!