Dobbs created a media sensation when he jumped ship as the anchor for CNN's Moneyline
to launch Space.com during the heyday of Internet startups in 1999. He returned to CNN two years later as his space venture failed to achieve Dobbs's lofty ambitions, although unlike many dot-coms, Space.com is still in operation. In his book, Dobbs presents what is in essence the business rationale for Space.com. Despite his own company's struggles, Dobbs remains convinced that lots of money can be made in the heavens. "S-commerce" is now a $100-billion business, Dobbs claims, with huge growth potential. Satellites generate the majority of space revenues now, but Dobbs sees giant opportunities for such industries as manufacturing, energy generation and even tourism. In eight neat chapters, he discusses the economic upsides to space as a new business along with the possible pitfalls, investing in space, NASA, satellites (including high-speed Internet access and live public and private broadcast) and specifics like combustion and launch stations. He ends with a list of "the top 100 players in the space business game." While his arguments many not convince all skeptics about the upside for space business, they are persuasive enough to show that Dobbs wasn't completely starry-eyed when he shot off Space.com. (Oct.)
