Test Gods: Virgin Galactic and the Making of a Modern Astronaut

Test Gods tells the story of Virgin Galactic's effort to build a space tourism company, following the test pilots, engineers, and visionaries behind the venture. New Yorker writer Nicholas Schmidle draws on exclusive inside reporting to chronicle the experiences of Mark Stucky (Virgin's lead test pilot), Richard Branson (the billionaire funding the project), Mike Moses (the company president), Mike Alsbury (a test pilot killed in a crash), and others as they pursue their goal to make space tourism a reality. Schmidle weaves his relationship with his father—a former fighter pilot and decorated war hero—throughout the narrative, connecting personal and professional dramas with the team's work designing, building, and test-flying their private rocket ship in the Mojave desert. The book explores themes of extreme bravery and sacrifice, the boundary between lunacy and genius, and the pursuit of meaning through the fulfillment of dreams.