'Wild Wild Space' - HBO Documentary Follows The Race to Capitalize Space

Wild Wild Space directed by Ross Kaufman (HBO / screenshot)

HBO revealed the trailer for a documentary feature ‘Wild Wild Space’. Inspired by the New York Times best-selling book, ‘When the Heavens Went on Sale’ by esteemed space and technology journalist Ashlee Vance, the documentary tells the story of a rivalry between three rocket and satellite companies and their conquest to conquer the space industry. The documentary is directed by Academy Award winning director of ‘Born into Brothels’, Russ Kaufman.

Release Date

Directed by Ross Kaufman, ‘Wild Wild Space’ debuts 17 July, 2024 on HBO (9:00 p.m-10:30 p.m. ET/PT) and will be available to stream on Max.

Synopsis

Wild Wild Space chronicles the modern-day, celestial land grab happening above our heads. Tt’s a fast paced, high-stakes race of epic proportions in which companies compete to blast satellite-carrying rockets into low earth orbit. From exhilarating triumphs to gut-wrenching setbacks, we witness the fierce competition to tackle humanity’s next great frontier. However, beneath the shiny veneer of progress is the dark side of capitalism’s insatiable appetite for profit and the far-reaching reverberations of a world controlled from the skies.

Inspired by the New York Times best-selling book “When the Heavens Went on Sale” by esteemed technology and space journalist Ashlee Vance, Wild Wild Space follows three rocket and satellite companies – Astra Space, Rocket Lab, and Planet Labs – and the quests of their idiosyncratic founders to conquer the burgeoning space industry. Following the roller coaster journey for a piece of this unchartered territory, the film details the multi-faceted uses of satellites, from planet-saving, environmental imaging to “big brother” government scrutiny and military espionage, exploring the ethics of technological advances. With billions of dollars at stake, the world’s privacy in the balance, and the ramifications of space debris dangerously cluttering earth’s low orbit, the documentary reveals how satellites now control the fabric of our modern world, and posits that whoever controls space, may very well control the future of humanity.