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
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SpaceX rolls Starship Flight 6 spacecraft to pad ahead of Nov. 19 launch — and it's wearing a banana (photos)
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX just rolled the upper stage of its sixth Starship megarocket out to the pad to gear up for its test flight, which is scheduled for Nov. 19.
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Trump appoints SpaceX's Elon Musk to help head regulation-slashing 'Department of Government Efficiency'
By Mike Wall published
President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency, which aims to 'dismantle government bureaucracy.'
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NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab laying off 5% of its workforce
By Mike Wall published
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA's chief center for planetary exploration, is conducting its second round of layoffs in 2024, reducing its workforce by another 5%.
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'I weigh the same': NASA astronaut Suni Williams refutes tabloid health claims (video)
By Mike Wall published
NASA astronaut Suni Williams says her weight is stable aboard the International Space Station, rebutting tabloid claims that her orbital stay has made her emaciated.
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SpaceX launches 24 Starlink satellites from Florida, lands rocket at sea, after weather delay (video)
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX launched 24 new Starlink internet satellites into orbit from Florida's Space Coast and landed a rocket at sea in the second of back-to-back launches today (Nov. 11).
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SpaceX rocket launches Koreasat-6A satellite, lands Falcon 9 booster on record-tying 23rd flight (video)
By Mike Wall last updated
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the KoreaSat-6A telecom satellite today. It was be the 23rd flight for the rocket's first stage, tying a company record.
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SpaceX launches 20 Starlink satellites from California (video)
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX launched 20 Starlink internet satellites, including 13 with direct-to-cell capability, from California early Saturday morning (Nov. 9).
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NASA still mum about SpaceX Crew-8 astronaut's medical issue
By Mike Wall published
NASA is not yet providing details about what caused a SpaceX Crew-8 astronaut to be hospitalized late last month, citing medical privacy concerns.
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China planning to build its own version of SpaceX's Starship
By Mike Wall published
China aims to develop its own reusable megarocket over the coming decade, and it will look a lot like SpaceX's Starship vehicle.
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SpaceX launches 23 more Starlink satellites from Florida (video, photos)
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX launched yet another batch of its Starlink internet satellites this afternoon (Nov. 7) from Florida's Space Coast.
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Astronaut Suni Williams 'in good health' on the ISS, NASA says, refuting tabloid claims
By Mike Wall published
NASA astronaut Suni Williams is in good health aboard the ISS, despite some speculation in the media to the contrary, agency officials stress.
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SpaceX targeting Nov. 18 for next Starship megarocket launch
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX's Starship megarocket will fly for the sixth time ever on Nov. 18, on a test flight that will include another dramatic booster catch.
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World's 1st wooden satellite arrives at ISS for key orbital test
By Mike Wall published
LignoSat could help change the way we build satellites.
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Presidential Visions for Space Exploration: From Ike to Biden
By Mike Wall last updated
A brief look at how each American president helped shape and steer American activities in space.
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Rocket Lab launches mystery mission on company's 12th launch of 2024 (video)
By Mike Wall last updated
Liftoff of the mission, which was for a "confidential commercial customer," took place at 5:56 a.m. ET on Tuesday (Nov. 5).
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SpaceX launches 3 tons of cargo on 31st ISS resupply flight for NASA (video)
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX launched nearly 6,000 pounds of supplies to the International Space Station today (Nov. 4), on the company's 31st cargo mission for NASA.
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Japan launches military communications satellite on 4th flight of H3 rocket (video)
By Mike Wall last updated
Japan launched the Kirameki 3 military communications satellite Monday morning (Nov. 4), on the fourth-ever flight of the country's H3 rocket.
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SpaceX launches 23 Starlink satellites from Florida (video, photos)
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX launched 23 more of its Starlink internet satellites today (Oct. 30) from Florida's Space Coast.
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Apollo 11 moonwalker Buzz Aldrin endorses Trump for president
By Mike Wall published
Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second person ever to walk on the moon, endorsed Donald Trump in a statement released today (Oct. 30).
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SpaceX launches 20 Starlink internet satellites from California on Oct. 30 (video)
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX plans to launch another batch of its Starlink internet satellites, including 13 with direct-to-cell capability, from California Wednedday morning (Oct. 30).
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NASA's Perseverance rover gets stunning view of big Mars crater from slippery slope (video, photos)
By Mike Wall published
NASA's Perseverance rover took a break from its Mars mountaineering expedition recently to survey its old stomping grounds.
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SpaceX's Starship booster was '1 second away' from aborting epic launch-tower catch
By Mike Wall published
Super Heavy, the giant first-stage booster of SpaceX's Starship megarocket, nearly aborted its historic launch-tower catch during this month's test flight.
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SpaceX Crew-8 astronaut released from hospital, returns to Houston
By Mike Wall published
The NASA astronaut who was hospitalized for a night after the splashdown of SpaceX's Crew-8 mission has been released and is doing well, according to the agency.
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