Leonard David
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
![An example of pico-ballooning is this U.S. Naval Academy amateur radio balloon experiment.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jS7sVwtuxSNB8BrBZgo4DW-320-80.jpeg)
Mystery object shot down over Yukon may have been harmless 'pico balloon'
By Leonard David published
The object blasted out of the sky over the Yukon on Feb. 11 may have been an amateur radio pico balloon — specifically, a 33-inch-wide one called K9YO-15.
![A still frame of a video reportedly showing a Chinese surveillance balloon.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QBdYcmTuSi5NpPE9hiEMPK-320-80.jpg)
What are these mystery objects that US fighter jets keep shooting down?
By Leonard David published
What do these sky-high visitations mean, if anything, to the UFO/UAP community? Are there any lessons to be learned from these incidents?
![A promotional image for "UFOs: Investigating the Unknown."](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/z4vFJn6mJcoZusbDnz72Fk-320-80.jpg)
New UFO docuseries seeks to shed light on flying saucer folklore
By Leonard David published
A new National Geographic docuseries by investigative journalist Leslie Kean aims to shed light on the modern UFO phenomenon.
![Some chunks of space junk recovered in Australia were later identified as leftovers from SpaceX's Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station, which launched in November 2020 and returned to Earth in May 2021.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/efme4gkHMGdoNgsGPCmvLa-320-80.jpeg)
How fallen space junk could aid the fight against orbital debris
By Leonard David published
Analysis of space junk that has fallen to Earth could help researchers design rockets and spacecraft that break up more completely during the reentry process.
![An illustration of a flying saucer above a country road.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DyTBoAmsKzTLkSECkcYHUW-320-80.jpg)
Unidentified aerial annoyance: Full disclosure or dubious UFO nonsense?
By Leonard David published
The coming year will surely see a persistence of debate, discussion and disbelief regarding unidentified anomalous phenomena.
![Tim Dodd at SpaceX Starship facilities in Boca Chica, Texas.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2RMKWCgymSdtCM8XUMdwgT-320-80.jpg)
Tim Dodd, the 'Everyday Astronaut,' gets down to Earth about SpaceX moon trip
By Leonard David published
Space.com caught up with Tim Dodd in an exclusive interview to discuss his 'Everyday Astronaut' status and how he's preparing himself for his citizen voyage to the moon and back.
![An artist's conception of a mining settlement on the double asteroid 90 Antiope, located in the main asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6hPAwHhkcQZ7qvLzJGo4ui-320-80.jpg)
Space mining startups see a rich future on asteroids and the moon
By Leonard David published
Space mining has matured to the point where there are dozens of startup companies planning to begin harvesting valuable resources from space.
![LightSail 2 captured this image of Florida on Dec. 24, 2021.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Usrzu2Qd5U97GXM6FvHsTP-320-80.jpg)
Solar-sailing probes may soon get their moment in the sun
By Leonard David published
Solar sailing can be a relatively slow-motion affair, but progress in the nascent field is quickly gaining steam.
![A Chinese Long March 3B rocket launching with mountains in the background.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/TPSnKeRV9RHW9hkXNJnUx5-320-80.jpg)
China's last launch of 2022 sparks falling rocket debris warning from Philippine Space Agency
By Leonard David published
China's last space launch of 2022, which lifted off on Thursday (Dec. 29), has prompted a warning of falling rocket debris from the Philippine Space Agency.
![NASA-funded fusion rocket design by University of Washington researchers.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/84a3dtQAaezzMDARnvEBsH-320-80.jpg)
Nuclear fusion breakthrough: What does it mean for space exploration?
By Leonard David published
Nuclear fusion has broad implications, fueling hopes of clean, limitless energy and the long-held dream of future rockets that are driven by nuclear propulsion.
![Shenzhou 14 astronauts Chen Dong and Cai Xuzhe performed a spacewalk outside China's Tiangong space station on Nov. 16-17, 2022.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/4pRdhFqBrupHiJRdaNtjpX-320-80.jpeg)
China may enlarge its Tiangong space station
By Leonard David published
China may end up enlarging its Tiangong space station and perhaps use it to evaluate technologies needed for possible human exploration of the moon.
![Artist's illustration of two Artemis astronauts at work on the lunar surface. What new tools are necessary to maximize exploration output?](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/K3TKzKNJMyrs2XuzaqMcLh-320-80.png)
NASA drawing on Apollo to design Artemis moonwalkers' tools
By Leonard David published
NASA has built a new rocket and spacecraft to get Artemis astronauts to the moon, and it's developing a new toolkit for them to use on the lunar surface as well.
![U.S. Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence Scott Bray explains a video of an unidentified aerial phenomena, as he testifies before a House Intelligence Committee subcommittee hearing at the U.S. Capitol on May 17, 2022 in Washington, DC.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3r9nCeqvFt5Acusn3xLm5e-320-80.jpg)
UFOs 101: Hype, uproar, disinformation and mystery: 'Here we are again.'
By Leonard David published
UFOs are making headlines again, but lost in the hype and ruckus is the question of when this all started and how we got to this point.
![Polaris Dawn crewmembers Anna Menon, Scott Pottet, Jared Isaacman and Sarah Gillis.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6qrMe89EJGgif6Xtd8bYeX-320-80.jpg)
Polaris Dawn crew prepares for world's 1st private spacewalk with SpaceX
By Leonard David published
The crewmembers of the Polaris Dawn mission are busily training for their orbital flight early next year, one that will see the first commercial spacewalk.
![A lone astronaut standing facing away from the camera dressed in full space suit with backpack, stands still looking towards a distant planet Earth.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ZsAT7365H9z2re2tF4CJwa-320-80.jpg)
Surviving the lunar night can be a challenge for astronauts on the moon
By Leonard David last updated
As multiple nations plot out their moon exploration strategies, how best to survive the lunar night gives space engineers the cold sweats.
![The X-37B recently broke its own mission-duration record.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gix9fyPUYPoHoythRa6EqW-320-80.jpg)
US military's X-37B space plane zooms past 900 days in orbit
By Leonard David published
The U.S. military's X-37B robotic space plane just passed 900 days in orbit on its latest hush-hush mission, adding to the program's flight-duration record.
![This NASA graphic depicts the amount of space junk orbiting Earth. The debris field is based on data from NASA's Orbital Debris Program Office. Image released on May 1, 2013.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7pXwSPzc5f3XnCHjtJkHtf-320-80.jpg)
Getting space junk under control may require an attitude shift
By Leonard David last updated
It's important to start taking action against space junk now, experts say, because Earth orbit is only going to get more congested.
![A Chinese Long March 5B rocket carrying the Mengtian space station module rolls out to the launch pad on Oct. 25, 2022.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/TfLJVrEuw6HBFGa7sVEfY8-320-80.jpeg)
Chinese launch next week will set stage for another big space-junk crash
By Leonard David published
The Long March 5B rocket expected to launch China's Mengtian module on Oct. 31 will likely fall back to Earth uncontrolled a week or so later.
![An illustration of a SpaceX Starship entering Mars' atmosphere and decelerating aerodynamically.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LM2cdLZauUjiQ8iLDuTjBE-320-80.jpg)
Landing on Mars: Keep straight and fly right for Martian touchdown success
By Leonard David published
Touching safely down on Mars is a true, nail biting event. Landing securely on Mars remains a delicate balance of technical skill, mixed in with hard-earned luck.
![The Allen Telescope Array in Northern California is dedicated to astronomical observations and a simultaneous search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI).](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rQqDksDevrxHLSD69iP6xM-320-80.jpg)
Contact with ET: How would humanity react?
By Leonard David last updated
The knowledge that we're not alone in the universe could have far-reaching effects on our view of ourselves and our place in the universe. But it's tough to get more specific than that.
![European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti gives the Vulcan salute aboard the International Space Station.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ABs48aaWWBsS6v9Ar4imFN-320-80.jpg)
Can we live long and prosper in space? The astronaut health dilemma
By Leonard David last updated
Space life scientists are pushing for the development of an international database on long-term health effects of spaceflight.
![Luna 25 spacecraft](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pZCDoDnexqRskdnhDT8UAY-320-80.jpeg)
Russia delays launch of Luna 25 moon lander to 2023
By Leonard David published
Russia's reactivation of lunar exploration via its robotic Luna 25 lander has slipped to 2023.
![This NASA graphic depicts the amount of space junk orbiting Earth. The debris field is based on data from NASA's Orbital Debris Program Office. Image released on May 1, 2013.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7pXwSPzc5f3XnCHjtJkHtf-320-80.jpg)
Space junk threat: Researchers working to reduce impact of falling debris
By Leonard David published
Researchers are working to come up with ways to mitigate the space junk problem, one of which would use fabrication concepts to reduce the size of debris pieces that make it to Earth.
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