Return to Launch

The rise of Cape Canaveral’s “second space age” and the nation’s expansion of spacefaring initiatives in the twenty-first century

Return to Launch is the story of how one state reshaped the trajectory of the US space program and helped usher in a new era of spaceflight. Stephen Smith takes readers behind the scenes of Florida’s Space Coast, revealing how local leaders, federal policymakers, and entrepreneurs transformed a region once bracing for economic collapse into the center of the NewSpace revolution.

This is the first book to spotlight Florida’s role in the rise of modern reusable space technologies and the shift from government-led missions to collaboration with private and commercial enterprise. Smith reveals how, after George W. Bush announced the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2004, the actions of individuals including Barack Obama and Elon Musk changed the course of NASA—with pushback from those who feared the loss of federal contracts. He tackles provocative questions, such as the government’s responsibility for the jobs of citizens and whether national interests should consider local economic pressures. These themes make the book a fascinating read about the intersection of policy, economics, and innovation. 

For space enthusiasts, policy specialists, or anyone who lived through the highs and lows of the Space Shuttle era, Return to Launch offers fresh insights and surprising facts. From the first rocket to launch from Cape Canaveral in the decade after World War II to the arrival of commercial crew programs such as SpaceX and Blue Origin, the book connects past and present to illuminate what the future holds for American aerospace.