Mike Wall
Michael Wall is a Senior Space Writer with Space.com and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers exoplanets, spaceflight and military space, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, "Out There," was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.
Latest articles by Mike Wall
400 rocket landings! SpaceX notches reuse milestone
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX made some history during a Jan. 21 Starlink satellite launch from California, landing an orbital-class rocket for the 400th time.
Bill Nelson steps down as NASA chief as Trump begins 2nd term
By Mike Wall published
Bill Nelson has stepped down as NASA administrator, ending a half-century of public service. Janet Petro is now the agency's interim chief.
SpaceX launches 27 Starlink satellites from California (video, photos)
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX launched 27 more of its Starlink internet satellites from California's central coast on Tuesday (Jan. 21).
SpaceX launches 21 Starlink satellites to orbit on 1st flight since Starship explosion (video)
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX launched 21 of its Starlink internet satellites early Jan. 21, five days after a test flight of the company's Starship megarocket ended in an explosion.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab to open next week after LA fires
By Mike Wall published
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California has come through the L.A. fires in one piece. It will open next week to employees who need to work on site.
FAA requiring investigation into SpaceX Starship's Flight 7 explosion
By Mike Wall published
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is requiring an investigation into the explosion of SpaceX's Starship upper stage during the vehicle's seventh test flight on Jan. 16.
SpaceX Starship explosion likely caused by propellant leak, Elon Musk says
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX has traced the likely cause of the explosion that destroyed its Starship vehicle during its Jan. 16 test flight to a leak of liquid oxygen or liquid methane.
Watch SpaceX Starship explode over Atlantic Ocean on Flight Test 7 (videos)
By Brett Tingley, Mike Wall published
The upper stage of SpaceX's Starship megarocket exploded over the Atlantic Ocean during the vehicle's Flight 7 test today (Jan. 16), and lots of people saw the sky show.
SpaceX catches Super Heavy booster on Starship Flight 7 test but loses upper stage (video, photos)
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX pulled off a launch-tower catch of Starship's Super Heavy booster during a test flight today (Jan. 16) but lost the vehicle's upper stage.
Major milestone! India becomes 4th nation to dock satellites in orbit
By Mike Wall published
India successfully docked its two SpaDex satellites in Earth orbit yesterday (Jan. 15), becoming just the fourth country to pull off such a satellite meetup.
Watch 2 NASA astronauts repair X-ray telescope on ISS during a spacewalk today
By Mike Wall published
NASA's Nick Hague and Suni Williams will service the X-ray telescope attached to the ISS during a 6.5-hour-long spacewalk today (Jan. 16). Watch it live.
What's next for the 2 private landers SpaceX just launched toward the moon?
By Mike Wall published
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket just launched lunar landers built by Firefly Aerospace and Tokyo-based company ispace. What's next for the two craft?
SpaceX launching Starship Flight 7 on Jan. 16: Watch it live
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX is set to launch the seventh test flight of its Starship megarocket on Thursday (Jan. 16) at 5 p.m. EST (2200 GMT), and you can watch the action live.
SpaceX launches 131 satellites on Transporter 12 rideshare mission (video)
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX launched 131 satellites to orbit today (Jan. 14) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, on a rideshare mission called Transporter 12.
Watch SpaceX launch 2 private moon landers on a single rocket early Jan. 15
By Mike Wall published
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch moon landers built by Firefly Aerospace and the Japanese company ispace early Wednesday (Jan. 15), and you can watch it live.
SpaceX launches 21 Starlink satellites from Florida, lands booster for 15th time (video)
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX launched 21 more of its Starlink internet satellites from Florida's Space Coast this morning (Jan. 13).
Blue Origin scrubs 1st New Glenn rocket launch due to technical issue
By Mike Wall published
Blue Origin called off the debut launch of its powerful New Glenn rocket this morning (Jan. 13) due to a technical issue.
Watch Blue Origin launch its 1st New Glenn rocket early Jan. 16 in a free livestream
By Mike Wall last updated
Blue Origin plans to launch the debut mission of its powerful New Glenn rocket early Thursday morning (Jan. 16), and you can watch the action live.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab still 'untouched' by raging LA fires
By Mike Wall published
The powerful Eaton fire has not reached the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, NASA's lead center for robotic planetary exploration.
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches Starlink satellites on record-breaking 25th flight (video, photos)
By Mike Wall last updated
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 21 Starlink satellites from Florida today (Jan. 10). It was the 25th mission for the rocket's first stage, a new record.
SpaceX launches 7th batch of next-gen spy satellites for US government (video, photos)
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX launched the seventh batch of "proliferated architecture" spy satellites for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office tonight (Jan. 9).
SpaceX rolls Starship out to pad ahead of Flight 7 test launch (photos)
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX rolled the upper stage of its Starship megarocket out to the pad this morning (Jan. 9) ahead of its planned Jan. 13 test flight.
SpaceX to launch Starship megarocket's Flight 7 test mission on Jan. 13
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX aims to launch Starship Flight 7 on Monday (Jan. 13), an ambitious test that will feature an attempted launch-tower catch of the first-stage booster.
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