The documentary follows two small companies nearly invisible in the shadow of SpaceX as they attempt to carve their own slice of near Earth launches pie.
One company is driven by a man lacking formal education in rocketry, rejected by NASA but driven as a pioneer should be. New Zealander Peter Beck is the hearth, soul and charm of this documentary, his pursuit of space is endearing and he's someone who's company I'd gladly follow in a continuous series as they pursue further milestones.
The other company was founded as a result of a meeting between Peter Beck and Chris Kemp. What was meant to be a partnership resulted in Chris Kemp starting his own company. Everything Beck is, Kemp isn't. The wannabe Musk oozes arrogance and illusion of grandeur and his pursuit is governed by one very simple goal... making money. To his credit, he's apparently capable of selling snow to an Eskimo, his only redeeming quality in pursuit of orbit. Everything else is accomplished by people around him.
The contrast between the two companies can't be more evident.
The best part about this documentary is showing how American politics and bureaucracy managed to cripple progress since the golden age of space exploration. If these small companies can accomplish as much as they did in relatively short period of time, imagine what a massive well funded organization could have accomplished in decades. It's infuriating.
All in all, it's a fun watch.
