
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

SpaceX launches 23 Starlink internet satellites to orbit from Florida's Space Coast (video, photos)
By Mike Wall published
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 23 Starlink internet satellites, 13 of which have direct-to-cell capability, from Florida this afternoon (March 18).

Watch the sun set over the moon in epic video from private Blue Ghost lunar lander
By Mike Wall published
Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost moon lander captured amazing views of the lunar sunset shortly before shutting down on Sunday (March 16).

Starliner astronauts head back to Earth with SpaceX Crew-9 duo to make long-awaited landing (video)
By Mike Wall last updated
Nick Hague, Aleksandr Gorbunov, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are heading back to Earth, and you can watch their Tuesday (March 18) homecoming live.

Farewell, Blue Ghost! Private moon lander goes dark to end record-breaking commercial lunar mission
By Mike Wall published
Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost moon lander went dark in the lunar night on Sunday (March 16) as expected, bringing an end to its historic mission.

Rocket Lab launches final 5 satellites for French 'Internet of Things' constellation
By Mike Wall published
Rocket Lab launched the final five satellites for the French company Kinéis' "Internet of Things" constellation tonight (March 17).

SpaceX's Crew-10 mission arrives at International Space Station to relieve Starliner astronauts (video)
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX's Crew-10 astronaut mission arrived at the International Space Station early Sunday morning (March 16).

SpaceX aces 3rd launch in 13 hours, sending 23 Starlink satellites to orbit (video)
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX launched its third mission in less than 13 hours this morning (March 15), sending 23 of its Starlink internet satellites to orbit.

SpaceX launches 74 satellites to orbit, lands Falcon 9 rocket for the 400th time (video)
By Mike Wall last updated
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 74 satellites from California early Saturday morning (March 15), then came back to Earth for a landmark touchdown.

Firefly Aerospace's Alpha rocket launching for 6th time ever on April 27: Watch it live
By Mike Wall published
Firefly Aerospace plans to launch its Alpha rocket for the sixth time ever on Sunday morning (April 27), and you can watch the action live.

Rocket Lab launches private radar imaging satellite to orbit (video)
By Mike Wall published
Rocket Lab successfully launched a private radar imaging satellite to orbit tonight (March 14).

Former Google chief Eric Schmidt takes the reins at rocket startup Relativity Space
By Mike Wall published
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has assumed the top job at the startup Relativity Space, which aims to compete with SpaceX and other big launch companies.

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.
Get the Space.com Newsletter
Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!