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
![a black-and-white rocket launches at night above a bright plume of fire](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tUk3mRJytd23dkasDVMcfJ-320-80.jpg)
Rocket Lab's secretive launch last month was a hypersonic test for the US military (photos)
By Mike Wall published
Rocket Lab's pioneering suborbital launch last month conducted hypersonic tests for the U.S. military, the company has revealed.
![SpaceX conducts a static fire test with Flight 7 Starship Super Heavy first-stage booster at its Starbase site in South Texas on Dec. 9, 2024.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ZfAp6QrCRqRkMAJJYrpAgJ-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX test-fires Super Heavy booster for 7th Starship launch (video, photos)
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX just test-fired the Super Heavy first stage of its seventh Starship megarocket, which is being prepped for a launch in the coming weeks.
![A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 23 Starlink satellites from Florida on Dec. 7, 2024.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SJRJ82uBTSDdoV9iLFxZoF-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX launches 23 Starlink internet satellites from Florida (video)
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX launched 23 more of its Starlink internet satellites from Florida's Space Coast early Sunday morning (Dec. 8).
![SpaceX's CRS-27 Dragon cargo capsule approaches the International Space Station for docking on March 16, 2023.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/v2G8gfRA67j5dyTtnL77mQ-320-80.jpg)
Watch SpaceX's 31st Dragon cargo capsule head back to Earth today after delays (video)
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX's 31st robotic Dragon cargo capsule is set to depart the International Space Station today (Dec. 16), and you can watch the action live.
![A portion of the far side of the Moon looms large just beyond the Orion spacecraft in this image taken on the sixth day of the Artemis I mission by a camera on the tip of one of Orion’s solar arrays.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jForrqNu4MKXwjWGFzUxC-320-80.jpg)
NASA delays Artemis 2 moon mission to 2026, Artemis 3 astronaut landing to mid-2027
By Mike Wall published
NASA has delayed the planned launch of its Artemis 2 crewed moon mission to April 2026, allowing more time to prep its Orion capsule.
![An Indian PSLV launches Europe's Proba-3 precision formation-flying mission to orbit early Thursday (Dec. 5)](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6oVqE8WzbEHNAiYGUoDPoT-320-80.png)
India launches European Proba-3 satellites to create artificial eclipses in space
By Mike Wall last updated
An Indian PSLV rocket launched Europe's Proba-3 precision formation-flying mission to orbit early Thursday (Dec. 5) after a one-day delay.
![SpaceX's Starship launches on its sixth-ever test flight on Nov. 19, 2024, as seen by cameras on the International Space Station.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8aAELeVaWJ4ZnYGrhJuDrZ-320-80.jpg)
Here's how SpaceX's 6th Starship megarocket launch looked from the ISS (video)
By Mike Wall published
Cameras on the International Space Station captured the sixth-ever test flight of SpaceX's Starship megarocket on Nov. 19, as a new video shows.
![A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 20 Starlink internet satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Dec. 4, 2024, completing its first direct-to-cell constellation.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kZGtgEY75E8xeSqMq4YKf6-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX completes 1st Starlink direct-to-cell constellation with launch from California (video)
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX launched 20 more of its Starlink internet satellites on Wednesday night (Dec. 4), completing its first direct-to-cell constellation.
![Polars Dawn commander Jared Isaacman meets with a St. Jude Family at the Sun 'n' Fun Aerospace Expo in April 2024.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sewr7CCnBGw82kMWbB3YeE-320-80.jpg)
Trump picks billionaire private SpaceX astronaut Jared Isaacman to lead NASA
By Mike Wall published
Donald Trump's choice for NASA chief is billionaire Jared Isaacman, a private astronaut who has funded and commanded two SpaceX missions.
![A Falcon 9 rocket blasts off on Dec. 4 carrying 24 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DyPY2Q5W66SRBJu8LwM6aX-320-80.png)
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches on record-breaking 24th flight (video)
By Mike Wall last updated
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 24 Starlink broadband satellites early Dec. 4. It was the 24th flight for the rocket's first stage, setting a new record.
![an image of the sun showing a bright white arc of light extending from its left side](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BBPQMNqQqQcRg4QWYngcbe-320-80.jpg)
Broken water pipe knocks out data processing for NASA sun-studying spacecraft
By Mike Wall published
Data processing for NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and IRIS probe are down for a while, thanks to a burst water pipe in a server room used by the missions.
![looping purple lines](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wtwfXHFQMXnuEMNMkfprSE-320-80.gif)
Strange "quasi-moon" of Earth will get one of these 7 names
By Mike Wall published
A panel of experts has picked seven finalists for the name of asteroid (164207) 2004 GU9, a "quasi-moon" of Earth. You can vote for your favorite through Jan. 1, 2025.
![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iw3YwLKmNZwEvoLcCVFcNT-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX launches next-gen US spy satellites, 20 Starlink spacecraft from California
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX launched a batch of spy satellites for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office on Saturday morning (Nov. 30) from California's central coast.
![A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 24 Starlink internet satellites to orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Nov. 30, 2024.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SkVSKQJiWw83PErxURhVKj-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX lofts 24 Starlink satellites in midnight launch from Florida (video)
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX launched 24 more of its Starlink internet satellites from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at midnight on Saturday (Nov. 30).
![NASA created a virtual fireplace for the 2024 holiday season, a homey hearth lit by the engines of its Space Launch System moon rocket.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Q63q6nZg5Dv2NGpRDxZmGC-320-80.jpg)
Warm up this holiday season with NASA's new SLS rocket engine fireplace (video)
By Mike Wall published
NASA has given us a holiday treat — a virtual fireplace lit by the engines of its Space Launch System moon rocket.
![three men and one woman wave from inside the international space station](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VGjmUh94MTwc2Nr9WQyjVE-320-80.jpg)
Happy Thanksgiving from space! What Turkey Day dinner looks like for NASA astronauts on ISS (video)
By Mike Wall published
The four NASA astronauts currently living on the International Space Station wished us all a happy Thanksgiving — and revealed what they'll be feasting on this Turkey Day.
![a black-and-white spacex falcon 9 rocket launches into a night sky.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zsbyC7wMSrbJCRr9AVr99c-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX launches Starlink satellites on 400th successful Falcon 9 flight (video, photos)
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX notched two milestones on a Starlink satellite launch Tuesday night (Nov. 26) — its 400th successful Falcon 9 mission and 375th Falcon landing overall.
![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qkrv7sxRoZsF59PZEkQtNP-320-80.jpg)
14 of the biggest spacecraft ever to fall from space
By Mike Wall last updated
A rundown of some of the biggest spacecraft to smash into Earth beyond their operators' control.
![view of the international space station through the window of a departing spacecraft](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/CS9gR5JNMbtyQiFQFUQfYm-320-80.jpg)
International Space Station dodges 2nd piece of space junk in 6 days
By Mike Wall published
A Russian Progress freighter docked to the ISS fired its thrusters Monday (Nov. 25) to dodge a piece of debris, the second such evasive maneuver for the orbiting lab in less than a week.
![illustration of a silvery metallic rotorcraft flying over orangish dunes](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zuZ9AZkM2DVmmE7GmTnN8R-320-80.jpg)
NASA's nuclear-powered Dragonfly helicopter will ride a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket toward Saturn moon Titan
By Mike Wall published
NASA has picked SpaceX to launch its Dragonfly astrobiology mission to the intriguing Saturn moon Titan. A Falcon Heavy will loft Dragonfly in July 2028.
![water-level view of a large silver spacecraft coming down for a vertical splashdown in the ocean](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/A4zekwM3Xfp2FbBB67DLbk-320-80.jpg)
Watch SpaceX Starship flight 6 splash down in amazing 'buoycam' footage (video)
By Mike Wall published
A camera set up on a buoy in the Indian Ocean caught the end of the sixth test flight of SpaceX's Starship megarocket on Nov. 19.
![An image of a SpaceX rocket taking to the skies to launch Starlink satellites](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KZY3hz6wwKCjJ9j56z4jY8-320-80.png)
SpaceX launches 23 Starlink satellites from Florida (video)
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX launched another batch of its Starlink internet satellites from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station early Monday morning (Nov. 25).
![A black-and-white rocket launches into a blue sky](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PfCwj2LwGonHBwpZSX2Z5h-320-80.jpg)
Rocket Lab sends 200th satellite to orbit on 2nd launch in 24 hours (photos, video)
By Mike Wall last updated
Rocket Lab sent five "Internet of Things" satellites to orbit on Sunday night (Nov. 24), pushing its total "spacecraft deployed" tally over 200.
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