Latest articles by Leonard David
Can we protect historical sites on the moon before it's too late?
A number of groups and individuals say there's a need to protect lunar history before it's too late.
Could deciphering dolphin language help us communicate with ET?
There are creatures here on Earth that may give us clues about how to communicate with extraterrestrial intelligence — dolphins, which are famously social and smart.
Can we actually build a thriving economy on and around the moon?
Building a sustainable economy on the moon won't be easy, but we at least have some ideas about how to get started.
US and China need a space hotline for orbital emergencies, experts say
The Council on Foreign Relations released a new report calling for the United States to make space a top national priority.
Trump's proposed 2026 NASA budget cuts will cede our space 'position of leadership to other nations', top scientists say
The chairs of several NASA analysis and assessment groups (AGs) issued a statement in response to the Trump administration's proposed budget that would gut science programs.
Trump's 2026 budget plan would cancel NASA's Mars Sample Return mission. Experts say that's a 'major step back'
The White House says NASA's Mars Sample Return mission is a waste of money, but experts say the mission could help it achieve its goal of putting humans on Mars.
New Mexico's Spaceport America looks up and into the future
Spaceport America is the first purpose-built commercial spaceport in the world — but its executive director has a portfolio of ideas to further grow the launch complex.
'Right now, we are in what has to be a Golden Age of asteroid exploration.' Scientists celebrate NASA's latest space rock flyby
Asteroid experts are pondering the scientific output from the NASA Lucy spacecraft after it shot by its celestial destination, the main belt asteroid named Donaldjohanson.
New images of Soviet Venus lander falling to Earth suggest its parachute may be out
The soon-to-reenter Soviet Cosmos 482 Venus probe is getting increased attention by satellite trackers – and new imagery provides some interesting details.
A failed Soviet Venus lander will fall back to Earth after being stranded for 53 years
A Venus lander launched by the Soviet Union in 1972 has been predicted to fall back to Earth some time in May.
'We learned so much that we didn't know': Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost moon lander mission was full of surprises
Firefly Aerospace's CEO Jason Kim says the company's successful Blue Ghost moon lander mission revealed 'so much that we didn't know' about the lunar surface.
'It's very pro-commercial space right now': An industry insider's off-Earth status report
Space.com caught up recently with Dave Cavossa, president of the Commercial Space Federation, to discuss the state of the U.S. private space industry.
'Planetary defense is knowing what's out there and what could do harm to us.' Meet the scientist who helped build NASA's asteroid response plan
A Q&A with Lindley Johnson, a pioneer in blueprinting warning and response scenarios to any potential impact of Earth by an asteroid or comet.
Vanguard 1 is the oldest satellite orbiting Earth. Scientists want to bring it home after 67 years
A team that includes aerospace engineers, historians and writers have proposed retrieving the 67-year-old Vanguard 1 satellite from orbit.
Capturing the cosmos on canvas: How art helps scientists and space agencies communicate with the public
Astrophysicist and artist Ed Belbruno explains how art helps scientists communicate their work to the public and even discover solutions to spaceflight and astronomy problems.
Space pirates already have their sights set on the 'high seas' of Earth orbit. Can we stop them?
Experts are already looking into the risks of piracy in space and solutions to this potentially devastating economic and legal problem.
The 1st private mission to Venus comes together ahead of possible 2026 launch (photos)
The first private spacecraft mission to Venus, Rocket Lab's Photon Spacecraft, will take on the planet's hellish conditions with the aid of a novel woven heat shield called "HEEET."
Low on power and spinning out of control, NASA's Lunar Trailblazer moon probe's future looks grim
It's been a week since NASA lost contact with its new water-hunting moon satellite.
Is it time to revisit what NASA's Viking lander found on Mars in 1976?
A new study reconsiders the controversial findings of NASA's Viking Mars lander in 1976, which some argue may have shown signs of past life on the Red Planet.
A Chinese research team is developing a lightweight robotic drone that could aid the nation's Mars exploration ambitions.
"On the ground, it mainly rolls by shifting its center of gravity."
Leaving Pluto in the dust: New Horizons probe gearing up for epic crossing of 'termination shock'
NASA's New Horizons Pluto probe is gearing up to cross the "termination shock," an exotic boundary in the outer solar system, as early as 2027.
Risks with current Artemis 3 moon landing plan 'may be too high,' NASA safety group says
An annual safety report to NASA has both praise and also underscores a number of cautionary woes, including the space agency's Artemis undertaking to return astronauts to the moon.
Exploring Venus may require exotic tech like balloons and 'aerobots'
Scientists are proposing ways to explore Venus in the next decade and beyond by way of a host of advanced technologies, from balloons to long-lived landers.
