www.fgks.org   »   [go: up one dir, main page]
Trending
Mike Wall
SPACE.COM SENIOR SPACE WRITER — Michael has been writing for Space.com since 2010. 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. 

Articles by: Mike Wall

SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk and the SpaceX team are recognized by Vice President Mike Pence at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center following the launch of the company’s Demo-2 mission to the International Space Station on May 30, 2020.

Elon Musk says he's donating $100 million for carbon-capture tech prize

By Mike Wall

Elon Musk is putting a big chunk of change into the fight against climate change.

Illustration of NASA's Perseverance rover on Mars.

NASA's Mars rover Perseverance lands on the Red Planet in less than a month!

By Mike Wall

The car-size Perseverance rover, the core of NASA's $2.7 billion Mars 2020 mission, will land Feb. 18, kicking off a new era of Red Planet exploration.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine delivers remarks at the Johnson Space Center in Houston on Aug. 2, 2018.

Outgoing NASA chief Jim Bridenstine calls for unity in space exploration pursuits

By Mike Wall

Like its parent nation, NASA needs to prioritize bridging divides, the agency's outgoing chief said.

A Biden administration is expected to prioritize Earth science and climate change research.

Presidential Visions for Space Exploration: From Ike to Biden

By Mike Wall

A brief look at how each American president helped shape and steer American activities in space.

A Rocket Lab Electron booster launches from New Zealand on Jan. 20, 2021, carrying a microsatellite to orbit on the "Another One Leaves the Crust" mission.

Rocket Lab launches microsatellite to orbit in its 1st mission of 2021

By Mike Wall

A two-stage Electron booster lifted off from Rocket Lab's New Zealand launch site today (Jan. 20) at 2:26 a.m. EST (0726 GMT), carrying a single microsatellite to orbit.

The space-photo app spelfie will allow users to “attend” the Jan. 20, 2021, inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, thanks to optimized satellite imagery.

Space photo app 'spelfie' lets you attend President-elect Biden's inauguration virtually

By Mike Wall

You can put yourself on the scene virtually for President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration Wednesday (Jan. 20), thanks to the space-photo app Spelfie.

The core stage for the first flight of NASA’s Space Launch System rocket is seen in the B-2 Test Stand during a scheduled 8-minute hot-fire test on Jan. 16, 2021, at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The four RS-25 engines fired for a little more than one minute.

NASA knows what caused the early engine shutdown of its 1st SLS moon rocket during major test

By Mike Wall

The core stage of NASA's giant Space Launch System moon rocket is in good shape despite its early shutdown during a crucial test this past weekend, agency officials said.

Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne rocket blasts its way toward space after separating from its carrier plane during the successful Launch Demo 2 mission on Jan. 17, 2021.

Virgin Orbit launches 10 satellites to orbit in landmark test flight

By Mike Wall

Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne rocket reached orbit today (Jan. 17) on its second test flight — and also successfully deployed 10 satellites.

SpaceX's SN9 Starship prototype performs its second static-fire test, on Jan. 13, 2021. Photo captured by SPadre.com.

SpaceX swapping out two engines on Starship SN9 prototype ahead of test flight

By Mike Wall

SpaceX's latest Starship prototype needs some maintenance work before it can take to the skies.

This panorama, made up of 122 individual images stitched together, was taken by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover on Nov. 18, 2020, the 2,946th Martian day, or sol, of the mission.

Curiosity rover celebrates 3,000 Martian days on the Red Planet

By Mike Wall

NASA's Curiosity rover marked 3,000 Martian days, or "sols," on the Red Planet Tuesday (Jan. 12), a mere five weeks before NASA's Perseverance rover is scheduled to touch down.

NASA's famous emblem.

Is NASA about to get its first female leader?

By Mike Wall

The incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris may very well make history with their choice to lead the 62-year-old U.S. space agency.

Blue Origin's first upgraded New Shepard rocket and crew capsule launches on an uncrewed suborbital flight from the company's West Texas test site on Jan. 14, 2021.

Blue Origin's 1st upgraded New Shepard spacecraft for astronauts aces launch (and landing)

By Mike Wall

Blue Origin's New Shepard vehicle just aced another suborbital test flight, keeping it on track to start launching people in the relatively near future.

SpaceX's SN9 Starship prototype performs its second static-fire test, on Jan. 13, 2021. Photo captured by SPadre.com.

SpaceX's Starship SN9 prototype fires up rocket engines three times in one day

By Mike Wall

SpaceX's newest Starship prototype blazed to life three times today (Jan. 13), apparently keeping the vehicle on track for a high-altitude test flight in the near future.

Virgin Orbit's carrier plane, Cosmic Girl, hauls the company's LauncherOne rocket aloft on the Launch Demo mission on May 25, 2020. LauncherOne did not reach orbit on the flight.

Virgin Orbit now targeting Sunday for 1st spaceflight

By Mike Wall

Virgin Orbit's Launch Demo 2 mission will lift off Sunday (Jan. 17), if all goes according to plan.

Artist's illustration of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity landing via sky crane in August 2012. NASA's Mars 2020 rover Perseverance will land in the same fashion on Feb. 18, 2021.

NASA's InSight Mars lander may 'hear' Perseverance rover's landing next month

By Mike Wall

The landing of NASA's Perseverance Mars rover next month will make serious waves, some of which may help scientists better understand the Red Planet's structure.

A Rocket Lab Electron booster stands on the pad in New Zealand ahead of the planned Jan. 16 launch of the "Another Leaves the Crust" mission.

Rocket Lab targets early Saturday for microsatellite launch

By Mike Wall

Rocket Lab's first launch of 2021 will take place this weekend, if all goes according to plan.

This artist's illustration shows the exoplanet KOI-5Ab transiting across the face of a sunlike star, which is part of a triple-star system located 1,800 light-years away in the constellation Cygnus.

It's really there! Kepler space telescope's 2nd-ever exoplanet candidate finally confirmed.

By Mike Wall

Astronomers just confirmed the existence of KOI-5Ab, which was first flagged as a potential planet by NASA's pioneering Kepler space telescope way back in 2009.

An artist's depiction of the Hayabusa2 spacecraft after inserting its capsule into Earth's atmosphere for sample delivery.

Japanese asteroid-sampling probe begins long trek to next space rock

By Mike Wall

Just a month after returning asteroid samples to Earth, Japan's Hayabusa2 probe is officially on the move toward another space rock.

SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk and the SpaceX team are recognized by Vice President Mike Pence at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center following the launch of the company’s Demo-2 mission to the International Space Station on May 30, 2020.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk is now the richest person in the world

By Mike Wall

Elon Musk just became the world's richest person, nudging fellow space tycoon Jeff Bezos from the top spot.

Artist's illustration of China's Earth-orbiting space station, which the nation plans to assemble by the end of 2022.

China plans to launch core module of space station this year

By Mike Wall

The Tianhe module will lift off atop a Long March 5B rocket a few months from now, if all goes according to plan.

Police officers intervene after Trump supporters breached security and entered the Capitol building in Washington, on Jan. 6, 2021.

Senator Mark Kelly, other former astronauts condemn storming of US Capitol building

By Mike Wall

The madness that swept over Capitol Hill on Wednesday afternoon (Jan. 6) drew widespread condemnation, including from some folks who have seen Earth from a perspective-enhancing remove.

SpaceX's SN9 Starship prototype conducts its first static-fire test, on Jan. 6, 2021, in this screenshot from a video captured by SPadre.com

SpaceX's Starship SN9 prototype fires its engines for the 1st time

By Mike Wall

SN9's engines burned briefly today (Jan. 6) during a static-fire test at SpaceX's South Texas facilities, near the Gulf Coast village of Boca Chica.

Virgin Orbit's carrier plane, Cosmic Girl, hauls the company's LauncherOne rocket aloft on the Launch Demo mission on May 25, 2020. LauncherOne did not reach orbit on the flight.

Virgin Orbit aims to launch 1st spaceflight Jan. 10

By Mike Wall

Virgin Orbit is targeting Sunday (Jan. 10) for Launch Demo 2, its second attempt to send its LauncherOne rocket to Earth orbit.

SpaceX's Super Heavy rocket booster launches the Starship interplanetary spacecraft in this still from a SpaceX animation.

SpaceX targets bold new 'catch' strategy for landing Super Heavy rockets

By Mike Wall

SpaceX wants to bring Super Heavy, the giant first stage of the two-stage Starship system, down directly on the launch stand shortly after liftoff.

This composite image of the galaxy cluster Abell 2261 contains optical data from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and Japan's Subaru Telescope showing galaxies in the cluster and in the background, and data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory showing hot gas (colored pink) pervading the cluster. The middle of the image shows the large elliptical galaxy in the center of the cluster.

A giant black hole keeps evading detection and scientists can't explain it

By Mike Wall

The big galaxy at the core of the cluster Abell 2261 should harbor a supermassive black hole that weighs as much as 3 billion to 100 billion suns. But astronomers can't find it.