
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

Watch moon dust fly as private Blue Ghost lunar lander touches down (video)
By Mike Wall published
Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost moon lander just beamed home up-close video of its epic March 2 touchdown, showing how its thrusters kicked up plumes of lunar dust.

Dead Athena moon lander seen inside its crater grave from lunar orbit (photos)
By Mike Wall published
Intuitive Machines' Athena lander died inside a small crater near the moon's south pole, photos by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter show.

SpaceX launches 21 Starlink broadband satellites to orbit from Florida (video, photos)
By Mike Wall published
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 21 Starlink internet satellites, 13 of which have direct-to-cell capability, to orbit on Wednesday night (March 12).

SpaceX calls off Crew-10 astronaut launch for NASA due to hydraulics issue (video)
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX scrubbed today's (March 12) planned launch of the Crew-10 astronaut mission for NASA due to a ground-system hydraulics issue.

NASA cutting programs, workforce to comply with Trump order
By Mike Wall published
NASA will close several offices and reduce its workforce to comply with an anti-DEI executive order from President Trump.

Watch fiery SpaceX Starship Flight 8 debris rain down over The Bahamas (video)
By Mike Wall published
The upper stage of SpaceX's huge Starship rocket exploded over the Atlantic Ocean this evening (March 6), creating a dramatic sky show for people in The Bahamas, Florida and elsewhere.

SpaceX loses Starship rocket stage again, but catches giant Super Heavy booster during Flight 8 launch (video)
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX managed to catch the Super Heavy booster on Starship's eighth test flight today (March 6), but the vehicle's upper stage was lost about nine minutes after liftoff.

Hope is all but lost for private asteroid probe in deep space — 'the chance of talking with Odin is minimal'
By Mike Wall published
AstroForge says there's no real hope of reestablishing contact with its Odin probe, the first private spacecraft ever to fly beyond the moon.

Intuitive Machines' private Athena probe lands near lunar south pole — but it may have tipped over
By Mike Wall published
Intuitive Machines' second lunar lander, named Athena, landed near the moon's south pole today (March 6), but the probe's fate is unclear.

Watch SpaceX launch its Starship Flight 8 megarocket test flight today
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX plans to launch the eighth test flight of its huge Starship rocket on Thursday (March 6), and you can watch the dramatic action live.

Touch down on the moon with private Blue Ghost lander in this amazing video
By Mike Wall published
Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost spacecraft chronicled its moon landing on Sunday morning (March 2), capturing stunning footage of its landmark descent.

'Stuck' NASA astronauts on ISS grilled on Earthly politics as long 9-month mission nears end. 'From my standpoint, politics is not playing into this at all.'
By Mike Wall published
Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will return to Earth this month after an unexpectedly long stay aboard the International Space Station — one that has become politically charged here on Earth.

See Earth shine like a Blue Marble in this stunning photo by Japan's private Resilience moon lander
By Mike Wall published
The Japanese company ispace is targeting June 5 for the touchdown of its Resilience moon lander, which launched atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Jan. 15.

SpaceX calls off Starship Flight 8 launch test due to rocket issues (video)
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX called off today's (March 3) planned Starship Flight 8 launch after several issues with the vehicle cropped up during the countdown.

Europe's powerful Ariane 6 rocket launches for 2nd time ever, sending French spy satellite to orbit (video)
By Mike Wall last updated
Europe's Ariane 6 heavy-lift rocket launched for the second time ever today (March 6), sending a French spy satellite to orbit.

'We're on the moon!' Private Blue Ghost moon lander aces historic lunar landing for NASA
By Mike Wall published
Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost spacecraft made history today (March 2), becoming just the second private vehicle ever to soft-land on the moon.

SpaceX gets FAA approval for Flight 8 of Starship megarocket
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX has received approval from the U.S Federal Aviation Administration for Flight 8 of its Starship megarocket, which is targeted for Monday (March 3).

There are 3 private lunar landers headed to the moon right now — a 1st in space history
By Mike Wall published
Three private lunar landers are on their way to the moon right now, a surge of exploration never before seen in spaceflight history.

Private Athena moon lander beams home gorgeous views of Earth from space (photos)
By Mike Wall published
Intuitive Machines' second lunar lander, named Athena, snapped some amazing shots of its home planet shortly after launching atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Feb. 26.

Private Blue Ghost lander sees far side of the moon in breathtaking detail ahead of lunar landing (video)
By Mike Wall published
Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander has beamed home stunning views of the moon from an altitude of just 62 miles (100 kilometers).

SpaceX delays Flight 8 of Starship megarocket to March 3
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX has pushed back the eighth test flight of its Starship megarocket by three days, to Monday (March 3).

NASA leadership shakeup continues as agency settles into Trump's 2nd term
By Mike Wall published
Among other changes, Vanessa Wyche, who previously led Johnson Space Center, has been named NASA's acting associate administrator.

SpaceX rolls huge Super Heavy booster to pad ahead of Starship Flight 8 launch (photos)
By Mike Wall published
The Super Heavy booster that will fly on the eighth test mission of SpaceX's Starship megarocket is now on the launch pad. Liftoff is scheduled for Friday (Feb. 28).
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