Leonard David is an award-winning space journalist who has been reporting on space activities for more than 50 years. Currently writing as Space.com's Space Insider Columnist among his other projects, Leonard has authored numerous books on space exploration, Mars missions and more, with his latest being "Moon Rush: The New Space Race" published in 2019 by National Geographic. He also wrote "Mars: Our Future on the Red Planet" released in 2016 by National Geographic. Leonard has served as a correspondent for SpaceNews, Scientific American and Aerospace America for the AIAA. He has received many awards, including the first Ordway Award for Sustained Excellence in Spaceflight History in 2015 at the AAS Wernher von Braun Memorial Symposium. You can find out Leonard's latest project at his website and on Twitter.
Latest articles by Leonard David

By Leonard David Published
Russia has fixed Site 31 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, the only pad supporting the nation's human spaceflight missions. It had been out of commission since late November.

By Leonard David Published
Crew members of China's Shenzhou-20 mission recently detailed their reactions upon finding cracks in their spacecraft's viewport during the nation's first spaceflight emergency.

By Leonard David Published
Elon Musk isn't the first person to propose the use of mass drivers on the moon. He's following in the footsteps of space visionary Gerard O'Neill, who floated the idea back in 1974.

By Leonard David Published
The Orion capsule's heat shield had issues during the uncrewed Artemis 1 moon mission in late 2022. Here are the steps NASA has taken to prevent them from recurring on Artemis 2.

By Leonard David Published
As more satellite megaconstellations continue to be launched, researchers are exploring the odds people could be struck by falling debris from reentering spacecraft.

By Leonard David Published
For nearly a quarter-century, the nonprofit B612 Foundation has helped scientists track dangerous asteroids and educated the public about the threats space rocks pose to Earth.

By Leonard David Published
What actually happens to a spacecraft during its fiery last moments? That's the key question for the European Space Agency's Draco mission, planned for 2027.

By Leonard David Published
The first emergency operation in the history of China's human spaceflight program ended on Jan. 19 when an uncrewed Shenzhou 20 capsule damaged by a space-junk strike came safely down to Earth.

By Leonard David Published
Exploration advocates are pushing back against the planned cancellation of NASA's Mars sample return project, saying it could potentially find evidence of Red Planet life.

By Leonard David Published
"The Chinese may well beat the U.S. with a grab sample."

By Leonard David Published
China's ice-hunting Chang'e 7 mission is scheduled to launch to the moon later this year, helping set the stage for a lunar base that the country aims to build in the 2030s.

By Leonard David Published
NASA's ESCAPADE Mars probes embarked on a 'loiter' trajectory after launch, and scientists say that extra time in space could have some consequences for the twin spacecraft.

By Leonard David Published
"Some will not change behavior until something bad happens."

By Leonard David Published
"The damage is real, but it doesn't have to be permanent."

By Leonard David Published
"Science doesn't always go as planned. In any case, there's a lot of work to be done."

By Leonard David Published
Blue Origin's upcoming NS-37 space tourism launch has special significance: One of the passengers is Michi Benthaus, who will become the first wheelchair user in space.

By Leonard David Published
A mishap during the successful Nov. 27 launch of three astronauts damaged the only pad that currently supports Russian crewed orbital liftoffs. How long before things are back up and running again?

By Leonard David Published
The space-debris strike on China's Shenzhou 20 spacecraft is a wake-up call, say advocates of a space rescue capability — and also a call for an organization to shape that capacity.

By Leonard David Published
China's decision to delay the return of its Shenzhou 20 astronauts due to a possible space debris impact has led to discussion of space rescue planning — or lack of it.

By Leonard David Published
Space agencies around the world are planning moon missions that will depend on water ice for resources, but much remains unknown about its availability of water ice on the lunar surface.

By Leonard David Published
A piece of smoldering wreckage found in Western Australia is likely part of a Chinese rocket that crashed to Earth on Saturday (Oct. 18), experts say.

By Leonard David Published
"The Russians and the Chinese are demonstrating more sophisticated orbital maneuvering abilities. There's no denying that."

By Leonard David Published
Humanity has a new tool in the fight against space junk — "Space Armor," a multi-functional composite that could protect both spacecraft and astronauts.

By Leonard David Published
A recent DARPA study laid out a step-by-step process that could enable an economic link between Earth and the moon. But how real is the promise of giving the moon an industrial makeover?
Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!
