HBO's 'Wild Wild Space' provides an inside look at the private space race (review)

If you’re not in, you're out, as they say in the shark tank of the entrepreneurial world.

The old saying applies to the burgeoning new space economy, in which private enterprises are jockeying for position to stake their claim in the final frontier, deploying cubesats and microsatellites that will eventually serve a multitude of useful applications.

"Wild Wild Space" is a newly released HBO documentary that tracks the progress of three venture-funded space companies over the course of several years, all of them operating in the very large shadow of Elon Musk's market-dominating SpaceX. 

Directed by the Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ross Kaufmann ("Born Into Brothels"), "Wild Wild Space" is a captivating examination of the highs and lows of California's Astra Space and its polished leader Chris Kemp; Rocket Lab, which is helmed by Peter Beck; and Will Marshall's Planet Labs, a San Francisco-based Earth-imaging company. The 93-minute film offers a rare behind-the-scenes peek at the rough-and-tumble task of getting satellites to Earth orbit and the individual personalities helming the challenge.

Related: Where will we be in space in 2049? A look at spaceflight over the next 25 years

"Wild Wild Space" tracks these companies' humble, grassroots beginnings, from rejections by traditional aerospace firms to candlelit investor dinners, explosive mishaps, tense moments in the control room, financing headaches and technology glitches. The documentary feels a bit scattershot at times as it bounces back and forth between intertwining interests and the crazed dash for cosmic control. But through it all, the energy, passion and indefatigable spirit of these young space pioneers shines through clearly.

Kaufmann directs with a loose-reined hand and rapid-fire approach that perfectly suits its subject matter. This timely project was inspired by tech journalist Ashlee Vance's 2023 nonfiction book "When the Heavens Went on Sale." Vance is given a prominent spotlight in the documentary and acts as a proficient and relatable guide to the story of these high-flying astro-entrepreneurs.

This current space renaissance was made possible by the creation of budget launch vehicles and scaled-down satellites linked together in constellations for broadband service, environmental imaging, government surveillance, agricultural monitoring, climate change analysis and myriad other purposes.

Watching these missile-sized rockets and their payloads blasting off from their private pads never gets old, and raw test footage delivers explosive highlights in this entertaining documentary and its portrayal of how difficult it is to defy Earth's imposing gravity well.

One of the most compelling personas featured is Pete Worden, a retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general and the former director of NASA's Ames Research Center. 

Kauffman presents Worden as a sort of amusing sage recruiter hunting for talent and seeking out hungry young visionaries who are buzzing around the independent space industry looking for a place to land. Worden is an endearing character, and he nicely rounds out the vast parade of talking heads.

It might be tough for certain Astra Space shareholders to watch Chris Kemp boast about creating a company that will succeed beyond people's wildest dreams and compete with SpaceX, knowing the downturn in that startup's fortunes and the millions of dollars investors have lost in his ambitious quest. But you cannot deny Kemp's laser focus, steely determination and ability to roll with the punches in the sad reality of insolvency.

Beck and Marshall come across as more grounded than Kemp, and often display a plain-faced sincerity when discussing their future desires and inspirations. The revolution of space, this "celestial land grab," happening overhead in the intense rush to control space has the potential to direct the future of humanity.

Turning space into a business and launching an entire industry does not come without perils and pitfalls. "Wild Wild Space" adequately chronicles this sprint into the heavens, seen through the eyes of a trio of maverick movers and shakers who helped kickstart the still-evolving small launch business.

HBO Documentary Films' "Wild Wild Space" is now on HBO and streaming on Max.