Brett is curious about emerging aerospace technologies, alternative launch concepts, military space developments and uncrewed aircraft systems. Brett's work has appeared on Scientific American, The War Zone, Popular Science, the History Channel, Science Discovery and more. Brett has degrees from Clemson University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In his free time, Brett enjoys skywatching throughout the dark skies of the Appalachian mountains.
Latest articles by Brett Tingley

US Space Force's new deep space radar tracks multiple satellites 22,000 miles away in key test
By Brett Tingley published
The U.S. Space Force's powerful new military radar system designed to detect and track objects in distant orbits above Earth has passed an initial key test.

NASA's Perseverance rover spies mysterious 'helmet' on Mars (photo)
By Daisy Dobrijevic published
The medieval-looking "helmet" is the latest addition to Mars' gallery of odd-shaped rocks.

Vulcan Centaur rocket launches experimental military satellite on its 1st-ever US Space Force mission (video)
By Brett Tingley last updated
United Launch Alliance lofted an experimental navigation satellite on the first national security mission of its new Vulcan Centaur rocket on Tuesday night (Aug. 12).

What would Mars look like under an Earth-like blue sky? NASA's Perseverance rover just showed us
By Brett Tingley published
NASA's Perseverance Mars rover captured a breathtaking panorama of the Red Planet surface depicted in false-color under a blue sky.

'We want to get there first and claim that for America': NASA chief explains push for nuclear reactor on the moon (video)
By Brett Tingley published
Interim NASA Administrator Sean Duffy says his plan to put a nuclear reactor on the moon is part of his plain to "get there first and claim that for America."

Artemis 2 moon astronauts suit up and enter their Orion spacecraft together for 1st time
By Brett Tingley published
The four crewmembers of NASA's Artemis 2 mission donned their launch suits to conduct their first suited crew test together at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on July 31.

SpaceX launches Crew-11 astronauts to the ISS for NASA on milestone Crew Dragon flight (video)
By Brett Tingley published
SpaceX launched the Crew-11 on Aug. 1, sending four astronauts to the International Space Station on the record-breaking sixth flight of its Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft.

SpaceX, NASA scrub Crew-11 astronaut launch due to weather (video)
By Brett Tingley published
SpaceX scrubbed the launch of its Crew-11 astronaut mission for NASA just a minute before liftoff today (July 31) after clouds intruded.

SpaceX, NASA say Crew-11 astronaut mission is 'go' for launch to ISS on July 31
By Brett Tingley published
Mission managers with NASA and SpaceX polled 'go' to proceed with a launch attempt of the Crew-11 astronaut mission to the ISS on Thursday (July 31).

Artemis 2 astronauts stress importance of their moon mission as NASA faces budget, workforce cuts: 'We have to move the needle.'
By Brett Tingley published
NASA's next moon astronauts underscored the importance of their upcoming Artemis 2 mission despite a turbulent time for the space agency full of budget cuts and workforce reductions.

Meet the SpaceX Crew-11 astronauts launching to the ISS
By Brett Tingley published
Crew-11 will launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 31 atop a Falcon 9 rocket, if all goes to plan.

Space Force's Golden Dome chief says space-based missile interceptors are possible today. 'We have proven every element of the physics'
By Brett Tingley published
The head of the Trump administration's Golden Dome program says the technologies needed to create such an ambitious space-based missile defense system already exist.

NASA's X-59 'quiet' supersonic jet rolls out for its 1st test drive (video)
By Brett Tingley published
NASA recently took its new X-59 "quiet' supersonic jet for a drive during taxi tests, one of the final hurdles between the aircraft and its first flight.

Scientists find Uranus is surprisingly warm, heating up the case for a new planetary mission
By Brett Tingley published
Scientists have found that Uranus emits its own internal heat, contradicting data from NASA's Voyager 2 probe nearly four decades ago.

US Space Force practices 'orbital warfare' in largest-ever training event
By Brett Tingley published
The United States Space Force is undertaking its largest training exercise ever, in order to demonstrate that it is "prepared to fight and win in space."

Mexico threatens lawsuit against SpaceX over Starship explosion 'contamination'
By Brett Tingley published
The Mexican president said there is a "general review underway of the international laws that are being violated."

Private Japanese moon lander crashed due to laser errors, ispace says
By Brett Tingley published
Japanese company ispace lost its Resilience lunar lander this month due to laser range finder errors, the company said.

Astronomers discover most powerful cosmic explosions since the Big Bang
By Brett Tingley published
Astronomers discovered a new class of cosmic explosions known as "extreme nuclear transients" that are the most powerful phenomena known, aside from the Big Bang.

U.S. Space Force general to lead Trump's $175 billion Golden Dome space defense program
By Brett Tingley published
U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a plan for his ambitious "Golden Dome" missile defense shield this week, stating it will cost $175 billion and take some three years to develop.

US military launches unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile on 4,200-mile test flight (video)
By Brett Tingley published
The U.S. military test launched an intercontinental ballistic missile on May 21 to demonstrate the readiness of its nuclear weapons arsenal.

James Webb Space Telescope captures ghostly images of clouds on Saturn's largest moon Titan
By Brett Tingley published
The James Webb Space Telescope has peered into the atmosphere of Saturn's largest moon Titan, capturing the first evidence of cloud formation in the moon's northern hemisphere.

James Webb Space Telescope captures stunning images of bright auroras on Jupiter (video)
By Brett Tingley published
The James Webb Space Telescope has turned its infrared eyes toward Jupiter, capturing auroras hundreds of times brighter than those on Earth glowing on the gas giant's poles.

Failed Soviet Venus probe Kosmos 482 is expected to fall to Earth tonight, but when and where? Here's what we know
By Brett Tingley published
The Soviet Venus probe Kosmos 482 is expected to fall to Earth on May 10, but exactly when and where remains unknown.
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