Samantha Mathewson
Samantha Mathewson joined Space.com as an intern in the summer of 2016. She received a B.A. in Journalism and Environmental Science at the University of New Haven, in Connecticut. Previously, her work has been published in Nature World News. When not writing or reading about science, Samantha enjoys traveling to new places and taking photos! You can follow her on Twitter @Sam_Ashley13.
Latest articles by Samantha Mathewson
![The outline of a small orange circle hangs central in a starry night sky, with small weird blue buildings low on the horizon. In the circle, two points are labeled Uranus and Mars. Thin blue lines connect stars in the sky to show constellations.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JYTSsi3vXKr3u4B8rnBQDQ-320-80.jpg)
See Mars and Uranus make a close approach in the night sky tonight
By Samantha Mathewson published
Skywatchers will see both Mars and Uranus in the same field of view overnight using a pair of binoculars. Here's how to spot the planetary pair.
![a black metal circle holds a surface patterned with many inner circles, lined diagonally in rows. some are purple, some are black with intersecting bisecting lines, and the trim of orange foil is seen on the right of the circle's crescent.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2nbtov7L7GP89wZNSrwJu4-320-80.jpg)
Space Force launching lasers in 2025 to help pinpoint the center of Earth
By Samantha Mathewson published
The U.S. Space Force aims to better pinpoint the location of Earth’s center using lasers on GPS satellites slated to launch in 2025.
![A blurry teal colored gas ring in black space features three bright shining orange orbs at its crown. A blue light dimly shines from the ring's center, and a paler small dot also shines on the right side of the image.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/t28iQ4fdDEhPjWrPLz7rxd-320-80.png)
The James Webb Space Telescope finds a jeweled ring in the cosmos
By Samantha Mathewson published
A sparkling jeweled ring, created through a cosmic phenomenon called gravitational lensing, has been imaged by the James Webb Space Telescope.
![The Ariane 6 rocket on the launch pad at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana on June 20, 2024.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ezdaG8LDbUnBYgqy92oZTb-320-80.jpg)
How to watch 1st launch of Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket today (video)
By Samantha Mathewson published
The inaugural launch of Europe's new Ariane 6 heavy-lift rocket is slated for today. Here's how to watch it live.
![NEOWISE is depicted in an artist’s concept in front of an image of the infrared sky that the mission captured. The string of red dots moving across the sky near the center of the image is Holda, the first asteroid the space telescope detected shortly after being reactivated in 2013.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8hkRUv8Q5tospge6vKJrP3-320-80.jpg)
After 14 years in space, NASA's prolific NEOWISE asteroid-hunter is about to shut down
By Samantha Mathewson published
A NASA asteroid-hunting mission is coming to a close, paving the way for the next generation of planetary defense efforts.
![A dark grey high altitude view of the lunar surface, with tiny craters speckled throughout, and one large crater on the far right.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yMiJsyRHTs9kwTAV5ao6Tj-320-80.jpg)
Under the moon's surface, magnetized lava may create 'lunar swirls'
By Samantha Mathewson published
Mysterious swirling patterns seen on the moon's surface may be linked to underground magma activity, a new study suggests.
![two small, rectangular satellites deploy from the international space station with earth in the background](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DwbxgzG2GbWQqhoHVyxvba-320-80.jpg)
Watch 2 tiny satellites deploy from the ISS in dazzling time-lapse video
By Samantha Mathewson published
Two small satellites were recently ejected from the International Space Station to begin scientific experiments in low Earth orbit, and their leap into freedom was caught on camera.
![a colorful pink and purple cloud in space surrounded by bright pinpoints of light](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/F8qxBzN2PdgCWWFaABAQxD-320-80.jpg)
Hubble Telescope spies baby stars in their glowing stellar cocoon (photo)
By Samantha Mathewson published
The Hubble Space Telescope has snapped a stunning new photo of infant stars nestled in a glowing cocoon of gas and dust.
![A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 22 Starlink satellites to orbit from Florida on June 23, 2024.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7jsntmsZ8APVbcKVGJoPu6-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX unveils new Starlink Mini antenna for internet users on the go
By Samantha Mathewson published
SpaceX just announced a more compact version of its satellite internet antennas called Starlink Mini that are small enough to fit in a backpack.
![a view down layers of mechanical rings, decreasing in visual size to an open bottom showing a circle of red, martian surface.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/k9a9DQt2gnBeq6ZK2xQ7Dk-320-80.jpg)
Air sealed in Perseverance's Mars sample return tubes is as precious as the rocks themselves
By Samantha Mathewson published
Scientists won't only study the rocks NASA's Perseverance rover has cached throughout its trek across Mars. They want the fresh Mars air, too.
![an illustrated globe of the Earth is cut open at its center, revealing different layers the higher up until a solid orange ball represents the core.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hoP9tjvbS992traboYh3K7-320-80.jpg)
The rotation of Earth's inner core is slowing down
By Samantha Mathewson published
The rotation of Earth's inner core began to slow down more than a decade ago, altering the length of our days by fractions of a second.
![Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity space plane lights its rocket motor during the Galactic 06 suborbital mission, which launched on Jan. 26, 2024.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SEa7MkEdgghVtuk7Q69GL5-320-80.jpg)
Watch an awe-inspiring video from final flight of Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity spaceplane
By Samantha Mathewson published
Virgin Galactic shared an awe-inspiring video from the final flight of its VSS Unity space plane.
![a bright point of light shoots thin beams of light in the cardinal directions. It is surrounded by a wispy mass of gaseous nebula and the starry blackness of space.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oNrQsBsyPHHChtVKEKp9nh-320-80.jpg)
The unexpected behavior of pulsing stars could help us measure the universe
By Samantha Mathewson published
New research offers the most precise measurements yet of pulsating Cepheid stars, which may hold clues about the immense size and scale of our universe.
![a table-sized metal chamber sealed with four large bolts, connected to other mechanical devices with tubes and wires across three different table surfaces in a room with yellow walls.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/U4x5Wzs8Cof9FpvjNCWZq6-320-80.jpg)
Astronauts could mix moon dust with old satellites to make fuel
By Samantha Mathewson published
Soil sourced directly from the lunar surface could help astronauts establish and sustain a permanent presence on the moon.
![a swath of pink gas stretches across a span of stars in space.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Xuit6VoNsSgbuxMS8fNCKE-320-80.jpg)
Cosmic 'koi fish' swims through starry sea in stunning telescope photo
By Samantha Mathewson published
The Gum 3 nebula, which resembles a swimming koi fish, is captured in a stunning new photo from the European Southern Observatory's VLT Survey Telescope.
![hubble space telescope of a distant galaxy, showing dots of bright pink that represent active star birth](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UPiu53VEr8yrdbGSXLvL2U-320-80.jpg)
Hubble Telescope shares stunning galactic view despite recent hardware malfunction (photo)
By Samantha Mathewson published
A gorgeous new photo from the Hubble Space Telescope, which is down to two functioning gyroscopes, captures the barred spiral galaxy NGC 3059.
![illustration of a rocket launching into a sunset sky with a tropical landscape in the background](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7pMKeqzkMbL4RyiqZpz5eN-320-80.jpg)
At long last: Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket set to debut on July 9
By Samantha Mathewson published
Europe's new Ariane 6 heavy-lift rocket is set to launch for the first time on July 9 after a series of delays.
![portraits of 11 diverse people against a backdrop of the moon](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hHZGdfXpCen9nAXswnXz63-320-80.jpeg)
'Sudden, brief, and unexpected:' dearMoon crew laments cancellation of private SpaceX Starship moon mission
By Samantha Mathewson published
Crew members selected for a planned flight around the moon funded by Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa shared public feelings of disappointment after the mission's cancellation.
![a reddish-orange landscape lined with deep trenches and ravines](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/syRzefkU9tQxctWEiV945f-320-80.jpg)
Fly over the scarred canyons of Mars in this breathtaking video from European spacecraft
By Samantha Mathewson published
ESA's Mars Express orbiter surveyed the vast Nili Fossae trenches, which formed following a massive impact billions of years ago, when water flowed over the Martian surface.
![illustration of a square, silver and blue satellite in orbit, with earth in the background.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/j76eeK9btDwMVkVZD8HDj7-320-80.jpg)
Japan to launch world's 1st wooden satellite in September
By Samantha Mathewson published
Japan plans to launch the world's first wooden satellite this year, in an effort to reduce the environmental impacts of reentering spacecraft.
![a space plane in orbit above Earth](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cGtCuNH7okM3obeutT7Dhk-320-80.jpg)
China's space plane releases another mystery object into orbit
By Samantha Mathewson published
China's reusable space plane has released another unknown object into Earth's orbit during its third mission.
![A yellow-colored spacecraft is upside down on the moon. There's a digital artifact in the center of the image.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SAG4onnMkZgJwBqanap2Ba-320-80.png)
The cold lunar night may have finally swallowed Japan's SLIM moon lander
By Samantha Mathewson published
Japan's Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) mission failed to respond to a signal sent Monday — but all hope is not lost.
![a white jet with an elongated nose section sits on a tarmac at sunset](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zKXC2cQDiK9aBE7Me56U2N-320-80.jpg)
NASA's X-59 'quiet' supersonic jet passes key safety review ahead of 1st test flight
By Samantha Mathewson published
NASA's new X-59 supersonic jet has successfully completed its Flight Readiness Review, marking a pivotal step towards its first flight.
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