Tariq Malik

Tariq Malik

Editor-in-Chief

Tariq is the Editor-in-Chief of Space.com based out of our New York City office and joined the team in 2001, first as an intern and staff writer, and later as an editor. He covers human spaceflight, exploration and space science, as well as skywatching and entertainment. He became Space.com's Managing Editor in 2009 and Editor-in-Chief in 2019. In October 2022, Tariq received the Harry Kolcum Award for excellence in space reporting from the National Space Club Florida Committee.

Hailing from Stockton, California (where he attended the same high school as NASA astronaut Jose Hernandez), Tariq studied print journalism and astronomy at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, earning a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1999 along with a minor in astronomy. He then served as a staff reporter for The Los Angeles Times covering education and city beats in La Habra and Fullerton in Orange County for the Our Times sections. 

In 2000, Tariq became the city reporter for the Huntington Beach Independent, a weekly publication of the Los Angeles Times, covering local politics and events, crime, business and environmental issues. He left the Los Angeles Times in 2001 to study science journalism at New York University, where he earned a master's degree in 2002 from NYU's Science and Environmental Reporting Program (now the Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program) under the direction of space reporter William Burrows.

Tariq first joined Space.com as an intern in September 2001 while also serving as a research assistant for nutrition writer Gary Taubes and writing freelance projects, where his work appeared in The Scientist and Laboratory Equipment Magazine. He became a full-time reporter covering spaceflight in 2004, with this first launch being NASA's STS-114 Return to Flight mission in July 2005.

Tariq is also an Eagle Scout (yes, he has the Space Exploration merit badge) and went to Space Camp four times as a kid and a fifth time as an adult. When not writing about space, you can find Tariq watching the latest Star Trek TV series, sci-fi movies and reading about hippos, his favorite animal. You can find Tariq at Space.com and as the co-host to the This Week In Space podcast with space historian Rod Pyle on the TWiT network. To see his latest project, you can follow Tariq on Twitter @tariqjmalik.

Latest articles by Tariq Malik

a black rocket lands on a barge at sea for Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab unveils plan to land Neutron rockets at sea, 1st launch in 2025

By Tariq Malik published

The new Neutron rocket includes a "hippo" mouth fairing that deploys upper stages by spitting them out from inside.

Missions

What is the moon phase today? Lunar phases 2025

By Tariq Malik, Daisy Dobrijevic last updated

Reference See what moon phase it is tonight and find out when you can see the rest of the moon phases for 2025.

Reference
two legs of a moon lander jutting up with the earth half-lit overhead

Private Intuitive Machines moon lander declared dead after falling on its side in crater at the lunar south pole

By Tariq Malik last updated

For the second time in two years, a private Intuitive Machines lander fell over on the moon.

The moon
The world's largest rocket launches into a blue sky on SpaceX's Flight 7.

SpaceX Starship Flight 8 launch: Live updates

By Tariq Malik, Josh Dinner last updated

Read the latest news about SpaceX's Starship megarocket test flights, launches, photos and more.

Launches & Spacecraft
a triple-core rocket blasts off under a sunny, partly cloudy blue sky. smoke expands below next to an obscured launch tower, near a long white hanger with SPACEX written on the side. To the left, a bird flies away.

Rocket launch today: Is there a rocket launch and what time?

By Tariq Malik, Josh Dinner last updated

Follow Space.com's rocket launch blog for the latest on when the next rocket launch will be and how to follow it live.

Launches & Spacecraft
A giant silver and black rocket stands atop a black launch pad at dusk for flight 8

What time is SpaceX's Starship Flight 8 launch today?

By Tariq Malik last updated

SpaceX is poised to launch Flight 8 of its Starship megarocket on Thursday (March 6). Here's how to watch the action live.

Launches & Spacecraft
President Donald J Trump addresses a joint session of Congress as Vice President JD Vance and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) listen in the Capitol building's House chamber on Tuesday, March 04, 2025 in Washington, DC.

The US will 'plant the American flag on the planet Mars and even far beyond,' Trump tells Congress

By Tariq Malik published

President Donald Trump told lawmakers that U.S. astronauts will one day carry the American flag to Mars and beyond during a speech before the joint session of Congress.

Space Exploration
Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander captured this photo of the moon shortly after arriving in lunar orbit on Feb. 13, 2025.

'America First' on the moon? US must 'dominate' in space, acting NASA chief says during lunar landing

By Tariq Malik published

Acting NASA administrator made the comments just before Firefly Aerospace's private Blue Ghost 1 landed on the moon for the agency.

Space Exploration
A gold and black moon lander approaches the lunar surface with thrusters firing

What time will the private Blue Ghost probe land on the moon today? How to watch live. [Updated]

By Tariq Malik last updated

Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost probe is expected to land no earlier than Sunday, March 2, 2025 in the wee hours before dawn. Here's what we know.

Private Spaceflight
a view of spacecraft attached to a spacex rocket, including odin asteroid probe, athena moon lander and more

'I think we all know that hope is fading.' Private Odin asteroid probe is tumbling in space

By Tariq Malik published

The company AstroForge is working to try and recover the asteroid probe before time runs out.

Private Spaceflight
Singer Katy Perry points with arms raised pointing to a crowd over a marching band

Katy Perry will launch to space with historic all-female crew on Blue Origin rocket

By Tariq Malik published

Perry and a celebrity female crew will launch on Blue Origin's NS-31 mission this spring.

Human Spaceflight
A computer with a large wifi logo sits atop a reflective surface. To the left, in the distance, a streak of light arches into the sky.

SpaceX launches 21 Starlink satellite on new Falcon 9 rocket, aces nighttime landing (video)

By Tariq Malik, Josh Dinner published

A new SpaceX rocket launched a pristine batch of Starlink internet satellites into orbit late Wednesday (Feb. 26) in a dazzling nighttime liftoff.

Launches & Spacecraft
a spacecraft with a large gold hexagon on top in deep space

'It's extremely worrisome.' NASA's James Webb Space Telescope faces potential 20% budget cut just 4 years after launch

By Tariq Malik published

Such a dramatic cut to a flagship space telescope still in its prime will be felt across the mission's entire operations, affecting science.

James Webb Space Telescope
A castle ruin is in the foreground of the image with a subtle pink hued sky and a bright full moon.

Full moon calendar 2025: When to see the next full moon

By Tariq Malik last updated

Reference The full moon happens about once a month. Find out when.

Reference
A white conical vessel with round window near the top stands surrounded by white scaffolding under a dark blue evning sky. Above, a giant, jelly-fish like plume trails a rocket launching through the sky.

SpaceX rocket launch spawns dazzling 'space jellyfish' in evening sky (photos)

By Tariq Malik published

If you saw something strange in the evening sky over California on Feb. 10, we can explain.

Launches & Spacecraft
A black and white SpaceX rocket launches with yellow flowers in the foreground.

SpaceX rocket launches 21 Starlink satellites into orbit, then lands at sea (video)

By Tariq Malik published

The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 1:53 p.m. EST (1853 GMT), less than 24 hours after another Starlink flight from California.

Launches & Spacecraft
Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket surrounded by its gantry

What time is Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket 'moon gravity' launch today? Here's how to watch live

By Tariq Malik last updated

Blue Origin's NS-29 New Shepard rocket is scheduled to launch Feb. 4 after a weeklong delay. Here's what to know

Launches & Spacecraft
mars appears dusty red with white patch at the bottom.

NASA pauses work by key space science groups amid Trump executive orders

By Tariq Malik published

The space agency's planetary science analysis groups must pause while NASA checks if they comply with Trump's orders.

Space Exploration
An electric car is just one of the many unusual objects that have left the confines of Earth.

When is an asteroid not an asteroid? When it's Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster, it turns out.

By Tariq Malik published

The discovery of a new asteroid this month has turned out to be Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster launched by SpaceX in 2018.

Asteroids
A fireball from debris caused by a falling Starlink satellite lights up night sky

SpaceX Starlink satellite sparks brilliant fireball as it falls from space over US (videos)

By Tariq Malik published

A SpaceX Starlink internet satellite fell from space in a blaze of glory overnight, lighting up the Midwest U.S. sky with a brilliant fireball.

Stargazing
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks after being sworn in at his inauguration in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC.

'We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars.' President Trump wants astronauts to raise the American flag on Mars

By Tariq Malik published

"Americans are explorers, builders, innovators, entrepreneurs and pioneers. The spirit of the frontier is written into our hearts," Trump says.

Space Exploration
An artist's concept of NASA's Habitable Worlds Observatory in space.

NASA wants a 'Super-Hubble' space telescope to search for life on alien worlds

By Tariq Malik published

The Habitable Worlds Observatory is a flagship NASA telescope that could answer the ultimate question.

Search for Life
A silver stainless-steel SpaceX Starship is assembled for launch on the pad for Flight 7.

What time is SpaceX's Starship Flight 7 launch test today?

By Tariq Malik last updated

SpaceX's seventh Starship test flight will now launch no earlier than Thursday, Jan. 16, at 5 p.m. EST (2200 GMT).

Launches & Spacecraft

Rubin Observatory aces 1st image tests, gets ready to use world's largest digital camera

By Tariq Malik published

The Rubin Observatory will eventually hold the world's largest digital camera. It's therefore a good sign it has aced its first image test.

The Universe
The Deep Space Network command center takes center stage.

Los Angeles fires leave NASA's Deep Space Network mission control empty for 1st time in 60 years

By Tariq Malik published

Despite the evacuation of its Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, no space mission data has been lost, NASA says.

The Universe
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