Hanneke Weitering
Hanneke Weitering is a multimedia journalist in the Pacific Northwest reporting on the future of aviation at FutureFlight.aero and Aviation International News and was previously the Editor for Spaceflight and Astronomy news here at Space.com. As an editor with over 10 years of experience in science journalism she has previously written for Scholastic Classroom Magazines, MedPage Today and The Joint Institute for Computational Sciences at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. After studying physics at the University of Tennessee in her hometown of Knoxville, she earned her graduate degree in Science, Health and Environmental Reporting (SHERP) from New York University. Hanneke joined the Space.com team in 2016 as a staff writer and producer, covering topics including spaceflight and astronomy. She currently lives in Seattle, home of the Space Needle, with her cat and two snakes. In her spare time, Hanneke enjoys exploring the Rocky Mountains, basking in nature and looking for dark skies to gaze at the cosmos.
Latest articles by Hanneke Weitering
![Apollo 1 astronauts (left to right) Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee posing in front of Launch Complex 34 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. All three were killed when a fire blazed up in their capsule during a ground test on Jan. 27,](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rBe7amK9zEq9orLEePuqSJ-320-80.jpg)
50th Anniversary of Apollo 1 Fire: What NASA Learned from the Tragic Accident
By Hanneke Weitering last updated
![A Blue Origin New Shepard rocket carrying actor William Shatner and a crew of three launches on a suborbital spaceflight from West Texas on the NS-18 mission on Oct. 13, 2021.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eSekvs5QzaoVfCTUaFw7Sd-320-80.jpg)
William Shatner and crew of 3 launch to the final frontier on Blue Origin rocket
By Hanneke Weitering published
William Shatner has boldly gone where no 90-year-old has ever gone before with a Blue Origin launch into space on New Shepard.
![William Shatner (second from right) will fly along with three other private citizens as part of a Blue Origin suborbital spaceflight. They are (from left): Glen de Vries, vice chair for life sciences and healthcare at the French software company Dassault Systèmes; Audrey Powers, Blue Origin vice president of mission and flight operations; and Chris Boshuizen, co-founder of the Earth-observation company Planet.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/87sNnWYbfPLaxKsP9WCD35-320-80.jpg)
What time will William Shatner launch into space on Blue Origin's New Shepard?
By Hanneke Weitering last updated
After a 24-hour delay due to high winds, the New Shepard rocket is now scheduled to lift off at 10 a.m. EDT (9 a.m. local time; 1400 GMT).
![The Blue Origin New Shepard rocket that will launch William Shatner and three others to space is seen atop Launch Site One in West Texas during launch preparations on Oct. 13, 2021.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rCdHJpNGEi96YnyoDzE6jh-320-80.jpg)
Blue Origin will launch William Shatner into space today! Here's how to watch it live.
By Hanneke Weitering last updated
William Shatner and three other passengers will launch into space today (Oct. 13) on the second crewed flight of Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket, and you can watch all the action live online.
![A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket launches the Landsat 9 satellite to orbit from Space Launch Complex 3 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, on Sept. 27, 2021.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dPmyYXsXfNzJiRebGYdRpQ-320-80.jpg)
In photos: NASA launches Landsat 9 Earth observation satellite
By Hanneke Weitering published
NASA launched its powerful new Landsat 9 Earth-observing satellite into orbit on Sept. 27, 2021, on a mission to monitor our planet's land resources.
![The Inspiration4 crew placed a video call to Earth on Sept. 17, 2021.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XMTGxKqyGgNbr4P3JLsFG-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX's Inspiration4 crew is having a blast and doing science in orbit (video)
By Hanneke Weitering last updated
From ultrasounds to ukulele jam sessions and space art, it appears the Inspiration4 crew is staying busy in orbit.
![Amateur satellite tracker Marco Langbroek captured this view of SpaceX's Crew Dragon Resilience passing over the Old Leiden Observatory in the Netherlands, on Sept. 16, 2021. It is a stack of 37 1-second exposures, each captured 1 second apart.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WMW3oGpvYPfzucj8hydyiY-320-80.jpg)
How to see SpaceX's Inspiration4 spacecraft in the night sky
By Hanneke Weitering published
Four private astronauts are currently circling the globe in a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, and you can see the capsule from Earth.
![The 2021 Humans to Mars Summit kicks off on Monday (Sept. 13).](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/J3CNTqfAgDNkZjjhbu6Y3T-320-80.jpg)
Humans to Mars Summit 2021 is underway: Watch it live here.
By Hanneke Weitering published
The 2021 Humans to Mars Summit kicks off on Monday (Sept. 13), and you can watch it live online.
![This sky map shows where Mercury will be visible from New York City at approximately 7 p.m. local time on Sept. 13, 2021.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/k6LVbKRcGDtKEMwr8RuFUG-320-80.jpg)
Spot the elusive planet Mercury at its 'greatest elongation' from the sun this evening
By Hanneke Weitering published
Mercury, Venus and the first-quarter moon — along with the stars Spica and Arcturus — will appear to form a straight line in the evening sky on Sept. 13, 2021.
![Mercury will be in conjunction with the crescent moon on Sept. 8, 2021, at 4:18 p.m. EDT (2018 GMT). The pair will be visible above the western horizon after sunset.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ZXbv2wVPxDWHVcWLqURpYc-320-80.jpg)
Mercury snuggles up to the crescent moon tonight
By Hanneke Weitering published
The tiny planet Mercury will make a close approach to the crescent moon in the evening sky tonight (Sept. 8).
![Hurricane Larry rages above the Atlantic Ocean in this image captured by NASA astronaut Megan McArthur at the International Space Station on Sept. 7, 2021.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/TArjUEwYcNVkHoEfEqW7zW-320-80.jpg)
Astronauts spot Hurricane Larry from space (photos)
By Hanneke Weitering published
As Hurricane Larry churned through the Atlantic Ocean this weekend, astronauts at the International Space Station kept a watchful eye on the storm from space.
![Space station astronauts have fun with many pints of ice cream that recently arrived on a SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/meQi8aTy3qgUXf5G6SomaL-320-80.jpg)
Labor Day 2021 in space: Astronauts take a half-day off from science duties
By Hanneke Weitering published
NASA astronauts at the International Space Station will only enjoy a half-day off from work on Labor Day today (Sept. 5).
![Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson soars like Superman while in weightlessness during his Unity 22 launch on the SpaceShipTwo VSS Unity on July 11, 2021.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zUyGuGC4S7oZH4unZKqNrZ-320-80.jpg)
Pilots saw 'red light' warning during Virgin Galactic's historic spaceflight with Richard Branson: report
By Hanneke Weitering last updated
It may not have gone as smoothly as we thought.
![A satellite image captured Aug. 27, 2021 shows a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon cargo ship on Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, ahead of the company's 23rd cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/P5ek4PTAcGQNj26BX3yqgn-320-80.jpg)
Satellite spots SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon from orbit ahead of cargo launch to space station (photos)
By Hanneke Weitering last updated
On Friday (Aug. 27) Maxar Technologies' WorldView-2 satellite spotted SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon cargo spacecraft from orbit.
![A view of SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Dragon on the pad before the launch attempt was called off on Aug. 28, 2021.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8YT8DXw8y5XchEAWPtwYYY-320-80.jpeg)
Bad weather delays SpaceX Dragon cargo launch to space station
By Hanneke Weitering published
The International Space Station will have to wait one more day to receive its next cargo shipment.
![NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei does a spacesuit fit check to prepare for an upcoming spacewalk at the International Space Station.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/i2xq4cEP3QP6aPPcSeW6Wb-320-80.jpg)
Astronaut says pinched nerve is why NASA called off space station spacewalk
By Hanneke Weitering published
"Today just wasn't the right day," NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei tweeted after a minor medical issue postponed his spacewalk.
![The private Inspiration4 SpaceX astronauts will carry hops into space that could be used for "space beer."](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PQuLKQ8wLWRvns6UaXJcYc-320-80.jpg)
Space beer, anyone? Hops flying on SpaceX's private astronaut mission Inspiration4 will be auctioned for charity
By Hanneke Weitering published
Billionaire Jared Isaacman is looking for a brewery to make beer with space-flown hops — for a good cause.
![NASA's Ingenuity helicopter captured this image of the Perseverance rover during its 11th flight on the Red Planet, on Aug. 5, 2021.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/o24fBGyqa5nY3Jx4DFAeKR-320-80.jpg)
NASA's Mars helicopter spots its Perseverance rover pal from above in an epic view (video)
By Hanneke Weitering published
While flying over the Red Planet for the 11th time last week, the little helicopter caught a view of its "mothership" — NASA's Perseverance rover
![A Perseid meteor is seen above desert poplar plants in Korla, China, on Aug. 12, 2021.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BQvxKfxRg9fJbTedMtnZM3-320-80.jpg)
Amazing photos of the 2021 Perseid meteor shower
By Hanneke Weitering last updated
The annual Perseid meteor shower, one of the best displays of "shooting stars" this year, put on a spectacular show for skywatchers around the world.
![NASA astronauts Meghan McArthur (left), Shane Kimbrough (top center), Mark Vande Hei (bottom) and French astronaut Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency review spacewalk preparations on June 10, 2021. The three Americans won't have a long weekend for Fourth of July 2021.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nNHAvayAd7R3LGDvvEFqiH-320-80.jpg)
No long weekend this Fourth of July holiday for American astronauts in space
By Hanneke Weitering published
While many Americans will celebrate the Fourth of July with a day off from work, astronauts at the International Space Station are spending their holiday preparing a cargo ship's return to Earth.
![A Soyuz rocket with 36 OneWeb satellites on board lifting off a launch pad at Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/H5nK2GfQHMkZPh3thUNBQY-320-80.jpg)
Arianespace Soyuz rocket lofts 36 new OneWeb internet satellites
By Hanneke Weitering published
Arianespace lofted another 36 OneWeb broadband satellites today (July 1) in a milestone that will allow the company to begin providing internet access.
![The RockOn sounding rocket launch from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia may be visible from southern Delaware the Chesapeake Bay-Bridge Tunnel, according to NASA.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UbbW7LzvGvM2w2p7dpr5aS-320-80.jpg)
Watch NASA launch a small rocket with dozens of student experiments today!
By Hanneke Weitering published
NASA will launch dozens of student experiments to space on a sounding rocket today (June 25), and you can watch it live here.
![A partial solar eclipse seen at sunrise with the U.S. Capitol building on display in an image taken June 10, 2021, by NASA photographer Bill Ingalls.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ECNaagRXaEyzir3JAbAmXf-320-80.jpg)
'Ring of fire' solar eclipse 2021: See amazing photos from stargazers
By Hanneke Weitering last updated
Find maps, diagrams and animations of the "ring of fire" solar eclipse on June 10, 2021.
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