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Elizabeth Howell
Elizabeth Howell is a contributing writer for Space.com who is one of the few Canadian journalists to report regularly on space exploration. She is pursuing a Ph.D. part-time in aerospace sciences (University of North Dakota) after completing an M.Sc. (space studies) at the same institution. She also holds a bachelor of journalism degree from Carleton University. Besides writing, Elizabeth teaches communications at the university and community college level. To see her latest projects, follow Elizabeth on Twitter at @HowellSpace.

Articles by: Elizabeth Howell

Captain Christopher Pike was without a doubt the highlight of "Star Trek: Discovery" Season 2. "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" will finally tell his story.

'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' will warp us all into Captain Pike's backstory

By Elizabeth Howell

Patient "Star Trek" fans have waited 55 years for Captain Christopher Pike to have his own series — and that series will finally launch in just a few months.

The Soviet Union's Sputnik 1 became the first artificial satellite on October 4, 1957.

63 years after Sputnik, satellites are now woven into the fabric of daily life

By Elizabeth Howell

Sputnik's pioneering flight 63 years ago this week in 1957 had a deep resonance on Americans. Today, the culture and technology of satellites continues to impact people around the world.

eta carinae

Stunning images from Hubble, Chandra, and more reveal value of space telescope teamwork

By Elizabeth Howell

NASA recently highlighted some collaborations between the Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes.

International Observe the Moon Night 2020 will take place virtually on Sept. 26.

International Observe the Moon Night 2020: Celebrate with NASA's Artemis program in webcast tonight.

By Elizabeth Howell

As International Observe the Moon Night goes virtual this year, NASA is inviting the public to join a live celebration online.

NASA astronaut Wendy Lawrence works at the space shuttle Discovery's aft flight deck during the STS-114 mission, on July 28, 2005.

Shuttle astronaut Wendy Lawrence talks spacesuits, Mir and learning Russian in 'Virtual Astronaut' webcast Friday

By Elizabeth Howell

Lawrence's lecture on "The Virtual Astronaut" live event series will stream live Friday (Sept. 25) at 7 p.m. EDT (2300 GMT).

Earth's moon is thought to have formed when a Mars-sized object, called Theia, slammed into the early Earth 4.4 billion years ago, blasting out material that later coalesced in to a large satellite as depicted in this artist's illustration.

'Giant impact' theory of moon's formation gets another boost

By Elizabeth Howell

Scientists have found fresh evidence in lunar rocks showing that the moon was likely formed after a Mars-sized planet crashed into the proto-Earth more than 4 billion years ago.

In these detailed infrared images of Saturn's icy moon Enceladus, reddish areas indicate fresh ice that has been deposited on the surface.

Saturn's ocean moon Enceladus has fresh ice in unexpected place

By Elizabeth Howell

Saturn's geyser-spewing moon Enceladus may be even more active than scientists had thought.

"Star Trek: Discovery" Season 3 features a fluffy feline named Grudge.

A cat named Grudge is beaming into 'Star Trek: Discovery' season 3

By Elizabeth Howell

Among the many new characters that "Star Trek: Discovery" will introduce in Season 3 is one of the non-human sort: a fluffy feline named Grudge.

This image of Venus was created using data that NASA's Mariner 10 spacecraft collected on Feb. 7 and 8, 1974, shortly after the spacecraft's closest approach to Venus on Feb. 5.

Here's every successful Venus mission humanity has ever launched

By Elizabeth Howell

This slideshow shows every successful Venus mission in history, according to information from NASA.

Kerbal Space Program: Enhanced Edition has launched on Xbox One and Playstation 4 consoles for the game's ninth anniversary.

'Kerbal Space Program' celebrates 9th anniversary with Enhanced Edition launch for Xbox One, Playstation 4

By Elizabeth Howell

The "Kerbal Space Program: Enhanced Edition Complete" game celebrates its ninth anniversary with digital launches for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

NOAA/NASA's Suomi NPP satellite's OMPS (Ozone Mapping Profiler Suite) aerosols from the U.S. wildfires are detected from space.

Smoke from US wildfires spreads across country and into Europe

By Elizabeth Howell

Smoke from the devastating U.S. wildfires is spreading across the country, moving north into Canada and across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe.

2 asteroids safely buzzed close by Earth this week

By Elizabeth Howell

Two asteroids made close flybys of Earth on Monday (Sept. 14), in both cases showing a common occurrence that didn't put our home planet at any risk.

Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity spaceliner captured this view of Earth during the vehicle's first trip to space, on Dec. 13, 2018.

Virgin Galactic to launch its 1st suborbital spaceflight from Spaceport America in October: report

By Elizabeth Howell

Virgin Galactic will fly to space again next month, if all goes according to plan.

NASA astronaut Clayton Anderson floats on the middeck of space shuttle Discovery during the STS-131 mission in April 2010. In front of him is a water bubble that reflects an upside-down image of the spaceflyer because the light has been refracted.

Astronaut Clayton Anderson will promote children's literacy in 1st 'Virtual Astronaut' talk next week

By Elizabeth Howell

Two-time NASA spaceflyer Clayton Anderson is the first speaker in a new virtual initiative designed to keep astronauts in the public eye.

Lego is launching an epic Mos Eisley Cantina set from "Star Wars: A New Hope" on Oct. 1, 2020.

Lego unveils epic Mos Eisley Cantina set from 'Star Wars'

By Elizabeth Howell

The seedy Mos Eisley Cantina is home to some of the most iconic moments in the first "Star Wars" film, and soon you'll be able to recreate them on your own in Lego form.

Representative Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) introduces legislation changing a U.S. Space Force rank from colonel to captain.

William Shatner wants the US Space Force ranks to use captains, not colonels

By Elizabeth Howell

William Shatner wants U.S. Space Force to rename its colonels to captains.

A Chinese Long March 2F rocket launches the Shenzhou-11 spacecraft from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in October 2016. On Sept. 4, 2020, a Long March 2F launched a mysterious reusable experiment spacecraft on a two-day orbital mission.

China's reusable experimental spacecraft returns to Earth after two-day mystery mission

By Elizabeth Howell

A Chinese reusable experimental spacecraft has safely landed after two days in orbit, according to state media, and may have deployed a satellite during its mysterious, brief journey in space.

Celebrate 54 years of "Star Trek" with Star Trek Day 2020.

CBS will celebrate 'Star Trek' Day 2020 with an epic Trek panel marathon. Here's what to know.

By Elizabeth Howell

On Tuesday (Sept. 8), actors will celebrate an online "Star Trek" day with panels and discussions, while discussing the series' emphasis on diversity.

"Sims 4" lands visits the "Star Wars" universe in the new expansion pack "Journey to Batuu."

'Sims 4' brings the Force of 'Star Wars' with 'Journey to Batuu' expansion

By Elizabeth Howell

The latest Sims 4 game expansion unlocks the Force of "Star Wars" with "Journey to Batuu."

A view of the base of the Artemis 1 mission's SLS core stage shows four engines attached to the rocket component.

NASA megarocket blasts past cost estimates, forces Congress notification

By Elizabeth Howell

NASA's new Space Launch System megarocket and associated ground infrastructure have soared past original cost estimates to a degree that requires the agency to notify Congress.

A Chinese Long March 2F rocket launches the Shenzhou-11 mission from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on Oct. 17, 2016.

China just launched a 'reusable experimental spacecraft' into orbit

By Elizabeth Howell

China launched an experimental spacecraft into orbit on Friday (Sept. 4), with few details about what the spacecraft will do.

This false-color map, created using data from NASA's Terra satellite, shows the burn area of the River and Carmel fires in Monterey County, California, on Aug. 26, 2020. Vegetation is shown in red, and the burn area (dark blue/gray) is in the center of the image.

NASA satellites track California wildfire's smoke plumes and burn scars from space

By Elizabeth Howell

Scientists created maps and other data products to track the fires and smoke plumes and make predictions about which parts of California may be affected next.

NASA and Northrop Grumman successfully completed the Flight Support Booster-1 (FSB-1) test of the agency's Space Launch System (SLS) megarocket in Promontory, Utah, on Sept. 2, 2020.

NASA test-fires its SLS megarocket booster for future moon missions (video)

By Elizabeth Howell

NASA's new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket finished a full-scale flight support booster test Wednesday (Sept. 2) as the agency gets ready to fly astronauts to the moon one day.

The International Space Station.

Future of space station commercialization needs fresh ideas and support, panel finds

By Elizabeth Howell

The future of space station commercialization will require some serious support.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft approaches the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, on May 31, 2020.

Commercial crews and private astronauts will boost International Space Station's science

By Elizabeth Howell

A golden age may be coming for human spaceflight research as more astronauts than ever fly to the International Space Station aboard commercial crew vehicles and through private companies.