Elon Musk’s ‘autocratic’ style made SpaceX thrive but his fixations could threaten its dominance, according to a new book [Video]

If any of Elon Musk‘s ventures have shown him to be a visionary, it’s SpaceX.

The reusable-rocket company has dominated spaceflight and begun paving the road to Mars because of its “mercurial leader” and his “autocratic control,” Eric Berger writes in his new book, “Reentry.”

However, Musk’s veer to the political right and fixation on the social-media app X could undermine that dominance, Berger argues.

Berger is a veteran space reporter and the senior space editor at Ars Technica. “Reentry” is based on his on-the-ground reporting from SpaceX launches and facilities, as well as interviews with about 100 former and current SpaceX employees, he says.

Berger spoke with Business Insider about the book, which came out on Tuesday. The interview was edited for length and clarity. Neither SpaceX nor Musk responded to a request for comment.

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