Documentary Editor, Awards

There are currently more than 10,000 satellites orbiting the world. And there would be even more if a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket hadn’t suffered an upper-stage failure last week, preventing the proper deployment of a fleet of Starlink satellites.

Despite this strange occurrence, the number of satellites orbiting Earth, both commercial and non-commercial, is expected to quadruple in the coming years. This dramatic development is explored in the new HBO documentary Wild Wild Space, directed by Oscar winner Ross Kauffman (Born into Brothels).

Launching satellites was originally the domain of governments, starting with Sputnik 1 in October 1957. But as Wild Wild Space shows, it’s become an increasingly commercial enterprise, pursued by a fascinating array of visionary entrepreneurs—some eccentric, some perhaps delusional. There’s Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, of course; but this isn’t your average Elon Musk documentary. The rocketeers populating Wild Wild Space include Chris Kemp, co-founder/CEO of Astra Space; Peter Beck, founder and CEO of Rocket Lab; Will Marshall, co-founder and CEO of Planet Labs; and Pete Worden, a retired U.S. Air Force general.