Amy Thompson

Amy Thompson

Contributing Writer

Amy Thompson is a Florida-based space and science journalist, who joined Space.com as a contributing writer in 2015. She's passionate about all things space and is a huge science and science-fiction geek. Star Wars is her favorite fandom, with that sassy little droid, R2D2 being her favorite. She studied science at the University of Florida, earning a degree in microbiology. Her work has also been published in Newsweek, VICE, Smithsonian, and many more. Now she chases rockets, writing about launches, commercial space, space station science, and everything in between.

Latest articles by Amy Thompson

SpaceX's Crew Dragon Endeavour capsule resembles a toasty marshmallow on board its transport as it returns to Port Canaveral on Aug. 7, 2020.

SpaceX's toasted Crew Dragon returns home after historic NASA astronaut splashdown

By Amy Thompson last updated

SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule cruised into its home port Friday evening (Aug. 7), secured to one of the company’s recovery vessels.

Human Spaceflight
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 57 Starlink internet satellites and two small Earth-imaging craft launches from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Aug. 7, 2020.

SpaceX launches 57 more Starlink satellites, lands rocket at sea

By Amy Thompson published

SpaceX successfully launched dozens of internet satellites and two small Earth-imaging satellites Friday (Aug. 7) in the second of what's expected to be a series of Starlink rideshare missions.

Satellites
The SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft is seen as it lands with NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley onboard in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2020.

Demo-2 success keeps SpaceX on track for tourist flights in late 2021

By Amy Thompson published

SpaceX could begin flying non-NASA astronauts aboard its Crew Dragon capsule as soon as next year.

Human Spaceflight
Vaneeza Rupani, who proposed the name Ingenuity, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, and Alex Mather, who proposed the name Perseverance, watch from Kennedy Space Center as the Mars 2020 mission blasted off from Florida.

Teens who named Mars rover and helicopter are 'over the moon' following launch

By Amy Thompson published

Two special guests looked on as NASA successfully launched its Perseverance Mars rover on July 30, beginning a nearly seven-month journey to the Red Planet.

Mars Rovers
NASA's Mars 2020 rover Perseverance and its Atlas V rocket stand on the launch pad ahead of their planned July 30, 2020, liftoff.

NASA's next Mars rover, Perseverance, will launch today. Here's how to watch.

By Amy Thompson last updated

The car-sized Perseverance rover is set to launch toward Mars Thursday (July 30) during a two-hour window that opens at 7:50 a.m. EDT. Watch it live here.

Mars Rovers
The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover rolls out to its Space Launch Complex 41 launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida on July 28, 2020.

NASA's next Mars rover rolls out to launch pad atop Atlas V rocket

By Amy Thompson last updated

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket rolled to the pad today (July 28) in preparation for launching NASA's Perseverance rover to Mars.

Mars Rovers
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, carrying the Anasis 2 satellite, on July 20, 2020.

SpaceX launches South Korea's 1st military satellite, nails rocket landing at sea

By Amy Thompson published

SpaceX successfully launched South Korea's first military satellite Monday (July 20) and aced a rocket landing.

Satellites
SpaceX will launch the Anasis 2 satellite for South Korea is using the same Falcon 9 rocket that launched the Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission to the International Space Station on May 30, 2020.

SpaceX delays launch of South Korean military satellite to perform rocket checks

By Amy Thompson last updated

SpaceX postponed the upcoming launch of a South Korean military satellite Monday (July 13), due to hardware issues with the Falcon 9 rocket.

Satellites
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 57 Starlink internet satellites and two BlackSky Global Earth-imaging satellites stands atop its Pad 39A launch site at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Florida on July 8, 2020. The mission has been delayed since June.

SpaceX delays launch of Starlink, BlackSky satellites again due to rocket checks

By Amy Thompson last updated

SpaceX postponed the latest Starlink satellite launch again Saturday (July 11) for more checks of its Falcon 9 rocket.

Satellites
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 57 Starlink internet satellites and two BlackSky Global Earth-imaging satellites stands atop its Pad 39A launch site at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Florida on July 8, 2020.

Bad weather delays SpaceX launch of Starlink, BlackSky satellites

By Amy Thompson last updated

SpaceX postponed the launch of new Starlink and BlackSky Global satellites Wednesday (July 8) due to bad weather.

Satellites
A used SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying three Canadian Radarsat satellites stands ready to launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The rocket's first stage will launch a new Starlink mission from Florida on July 8, 2020.

SpaceX to launch Starlink and BlackSky satellites into orbit today. Here's how to watch live.

By Amy Thompson last updated

SpaceX will launch its tenth set of Starlink internet satellites into orbit today (July 8) and you can watch it live online.

Satellites
A Rocket Lab Electron rocket lifts off with seven satellites aboard during a launch from Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand on July 4, 2020. The launch failed to reach orbit.

Rocket Lab Electron launch fails to reach orbit, 7 satellites lost

By Amy Thompson last updated

A Rocket Lab Electron booster carrying seven satellites failed to reach orbit during a Fourth of July launch Saturday.

Satellites
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches the GPS III SV03 satellite for the U.S. Space Force on June 30, 2020.

SpaceX launches advanced GPS satellite for US Space Force, sticks rocket landing

By Amy Thompson last updated

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched an advanced GPS satellite for the U.S. Space Force Tuesday (June 30) then nailed a booster landing at sea.

Satellites
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the GPS III SV03 navigation satellite for the U.S. Space Force stands atop its launch pad at Space Launch Complex 40 of the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station ahead of a planned June 30, 2020 launch.

SpaceX is launching an advanced GPS satellite for the US Space Force today. Here's how to watch.

By Amy Thompson last updated

SpaceX is gearing up to launch a Falcon 9 rocket today, June 30, to deliver an upgraded global positioning satellite (GPS) into orbit for the U.S. Space Force and you can watch it live online.

Satellites
A used SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying three Canadian Radarsat satellites stands ready to launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The rocket's first stage will launch a new Starlink mission from Florida on June 26, 2020..

SpaceX delays launch of Starlink and BlackSky satellites for more rocket checks

By Amy Thompson published

SpaceX called off the launch of its latest Starlink satellite mission Friday (June 26) to allow more time for preflight checks.

Satellites
A used SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying three Canadian Radarsat satellites stands ready to launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The rocket's first stage will launch a new Starlink mission from Florida on June 26, 2020..

A SpaceX rocket will launch Starlink and BlackSky satellites today. Here's how to watch.

By Amy Thompson last updated

The private spaceflight company SpaceX will launch 57 new Starlink satellites and two BlackSky Global satellites into orbit today (June. 26). Here's how to watch.

Satellites
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket streaks into space in this dazzling view of the Starlink 8 launch that sent 58 Starlink satellites and three Planet SkySats into orbit before dawn from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on June 13, 2020.

SpaceX launches 58 Starlink satellites and 3 Planet SkySats, nails rocket landing

By Amy Thompson last updated

The Starlink constellation is growing fast.

Satellites
The Falcon 9 rocket booster that launched the CRS-19 cargo mission for NASA, seen here in December 2019, will launch a fleet of Starlink and Planet satellites from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida on June 13, 2020.

SpaceX will launch 58 Starlink satellites, 3 Planet SkySats Saturday. Here's how to watch.

By Amy Thompson published

The private spaceflight company SpaceX will launch 58 new Starlink satellites to join its ever-growing broadband internet megaconstellation in orbit Saturday (June 13).

Satellites
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 60 Starlink internet satellites from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on June 3, 2020.

SpaceX launches 60 Starlink satellites and lands rocket in dazzling nighttime liftoff

By Amy Thompson last updated

SpaceX successfully launched a new batch of 60 Starlink internet satellites into orbit today (June 3) and nailed a rocket landing at sea to top off the mission.

Satellites
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch launches two NASA astronauts into orbit on a Crew Dragon spacecraft from Pad 39A of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 30, 2020.

Liftoff! SpaceX launches 1st astronauts for NASA on historic test flight

By Amy Thompson last updated

SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule launched from Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center today (May 30), ending a nine-year orbital human spaceflight drought for the United States.

Human Spaceflight
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket launches an X-37B space plane on a classified mission for the U.S. Space Force from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on May 17, 2020.

Space Force launches robotic X-37B space plane on new mystery mission

By Amy Thompson published

The U.S. Space Force's mysterious X-37B space plane successfully launched on its sixth mystery mission from Florida today (May 17).

Tech
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the CRS-19 Dragon cargo ship filled with NASA supplies for the International Space Station atop its Cape Canaveral Air Force Station launch site in Florida ahead of a Dec. 4, 2019 launch. SpaceX will launch the CRS-20 Dragon cargo flight on March 6, 2020.

SpaceX test-fires rocket for next Dragon cargo ship launch for NASA

By Amy Thompson last updated

SpaceX has fired up the Falcon 9 rocket that will ferry the company's next cargo resupply mission for NASA into space Friday, March 6.

Launches & Spacecraft
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the AEHF-6 military communications satellite launches from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on March 26, 2020.

US launches advanced satellite in 1st Space Force national security mission

By Amy Thompson last updated

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket took to the skies Thursday afternoon (March 26), delivering a highly advanced communications satellite to orbit for the U.S. Space Force.

Satellites
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 60 Starlink internet satellites into orbit from Pad 39A of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on April 22, 2020.

SpaceX launches 60 Starlink satellites, aces rocket landing in milestone flight

By Amy Thompson published

SpaceX successfully launched a new batch of 60 Starlink satellites into orbit today (April 22) and nailed a rocket landing at sea to cap the mission.

Satellites
A SpaceX Falcon 9 booster lands on a drone ship after launching the company's first Crew Dragon capsule in March 2019. The same booster will launch 60 Starlink satellites from Pad 39A of the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on April 23, 2020.

SpaceX tests Falcon 9 rocket for next Starlink satellite fleet launch

By Amy Thompson last updated

SpaceX has fired up the rocket that will ferry the company's next batch of Starlink satellites into space.

Satellites
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