Hanneke Weitering

Hanneke Weitering

Contributing expert

Hanneke Weitering is a multimedia journalist in the Pacific Northwest reporting on the future of aviation at FutureFlight.aero and Aviation International News and was previously the Editor for Spaceflight and Astronomy news here at Space.com. As an editor with over 10 years of experience in science journalism she has previously written for Scholastic Classroom Magazines, MedPage Today and The Joint Institute for Computational Sciences at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. After studying physics at the University of Tennessee in her hometown of Knoxville, she earned her graduate degree in Science, Health and Environmental Reporting (SHERP) from New York University. Hanneke joined the Space.com team in 2016 as a staff writer and producer, covering topics including spaceflight and astronomy. She currently lives in Seattle, home of the Space Needle, with her cat and two snakes. In her spare time, Hanneke enjoys exploring the Rocky Mountains, basking in nature and looking for dark skies to gaze at the cosmos. 

Articles by: Hanneke Weitering

Illustrated depiction of Sputnik 1 in space

On This Day In Space: Oct. 4, 1957: Sputnik 1 becomes 1st human-made satellite

By Hanneke Weitering last updated

On Oct. 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the satellite that started the Space Race.

"This Week in Space" is a new space podcast with Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik.

Space.com joins 'This Week in Space' podcast on TWiT and you can tune in now

By Hanneke Weitering published

A new space podcast covers all the latest and greatest space news with expert commentary and a "humorous twist."

A Maxar satellite image shows Russian airborne forces in Zdvyzhivka, Ukraine, on Feb. 28, 2022.

Ukrainian entrepreneur calls for faster, better satellite data to help fight Russian invasion

By Hanneke Weitering published

Earth observation companies have been sharing optical satellite imagery of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but radar data are what's needed most, Ukrainian entrepreneur Max Polyakov said.

An Arianespace Soyuz rocket launches the OneWeb 13 mission from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana, on Feb. 10, 2022.

Arianespace launches 34 OneWeb satellites on Soyuz rocket in 1st launch of 2022

By Elizabeth Howell published

An Arianespace Soyuz rocket launched 34 new broadband satellites for the OneWeb constellation to space today (Feb. 10).

National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing

Winter Olympics 2022: See China's stadiums from space in these snowy satellite photos

By Alexander Cox published

The 2022 Winter Olympics are here and Maxar Technologies has released satellite images of many of the venues in China as seen from space.

An animation of the James Webb Space Telescope extending its Deployable Tower Assembly in space.

James Webb Space Telescope extends its tower to make way for sunshield deployment

By Hanneke Weitering published

The James Webb Space Telescope is one step closer to finishing the deployment of its massive sunshield.

The Ariane 5 rocket with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope on board is seen on the launch pad at the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, on Dec. 23, 2021.

James Webb Space Telescope's rocket begins fueling up for launch

By Hanneke Weitering last updated

The rocket that will finally launch NASA's James Webb Space Telescope today (Dec. 25) has begun fueling for liftoff.

Santa won't be dodging any rockets while delivering gifts this year.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope won't hit Santa during Christmas launch

By Hanneke Weitering last updated

NASA is launching a huge observatory into space early Christmas morning (Dec. 25), but you don't need to worry about it hitting Santa Claus.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has successfully deployed its giant primary mirror, putting the new observatory one big step closer to being ready for launch in 2021. The entire 256-inch (6.5 meters) primary mirror assembly unfurled into the same configuration that it would be after deploying in space. This critical test took place in early March 2020, right before NASA's centers shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. Work on the Webb telescope was temporarily halted on March 20.

James Webb Space Telescope: The latest images and discoveries

By Hanneke Weitering published

Read the latest news about NASA's James Webb Space Telescope.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope meets the payload fairing of the Ariane 5 rocket that will launch it to space from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.

James Webb Space Telescope launch delayed to Christmas Eve

By Hanneke Weitering last updated

The launch of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has been delayed yet again.

COBI's Boeing Cst-100 Starliner building set is on sale for Cyber Monday.

This Boeing Starliner building set from Cobi is 19% off with this Cyber Monday deal

By Space.com Staff, Hanneke Weitering published

Deals Save $5.19 with this Cyber Monday deal.

The Vantop Snaptain SP7100 Drone is on sale at Walmart for Black Friday.

Save $100 on this Vantop Snaptain drone at Best Buy for Black Friday

By Hanneke Weitering published

Deals The Vantop Snaptain SP7100 drone is 33% off at Best Buy.

An Arianespace Vega rocket carrying three CERES satellites for the French military lifts off from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana on Nov. 16, ,2021.

Arianespace Vega rocket launches 3 satellites into orbit for French military

By Hanneke Weitering published

A Vega rocket launched three French military satellites from a South American spaceport Tuesday (Nov. 16).

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson speaks at a press briefing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, in July 2021.

NASA chief Bill Nelson condemns Russian anti-satellite test

By Hanneke Weitering published

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson has condemned a Russian anti-satellite test on Monday (Nov. 15) that put the International Space Station at risk of colliding with the resulting debris.

Blue Origin's official portrait of Glen de Vries, taken ahead of his New Shepard NS-18 spaceflight in 2021.

Glen de Vries, who flew to space with William Shatner, killed in plane crash

By Hanneke Weitering last updated

Glen de Vries, one of the passengers who accompanied the "Star Trek" legend William Shatner on a Blue Origin spaceflight last month, was killed in a plane crash in New Jersey on Nov. 11.

This sky map shows the view of Uranus and the moon just after midnight on Oct. 21, 2021, as seen from midnorthern latitudes.

How to see Uranus near the full Hunter's Moon in the night sky this week

By Hanneke Weitering published

The full Hunter's Moon will light the way to Uranus in the early morning sky this week, and with some luck you could see a "shooting star" while looking for the celestial pair.

A Blue Origin New Shepard rocket carrying actor William Shatner and a crew of three launches on a suborbital spaceflight from West Texas on the NS-18 mission on Oct. 13, 2021.

William Shatner and crew of 3 launch to the final frontier on Blue Origin rocket

By Hanneke Weitering published

William Shatner has boldly gone where no 90-year-old has ever gone before with a Blue Origin launch into space on New Shepard.

The Blue Origin New Shepard rocket that will launch William Shatner and three others to space is seen atop Launch Site One in West Texas during launch preparations on Oct. 13, 2021.

Blue Origin will launch William Shatner into space today! Here's how to watch it live.

By Hanneke Weitering last updated

William Shatner and three other passengers will launch into space today (Oct. 13) on the second crewed flight of Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket, and you can watch all the action live online.

William Shatner (second from right) will fly along with three other private citizens as part of a Blue Origin suborbital spaceflight. They are (from left): Glen de Vries, vice chair for life sciences and healthcare at the French software company Dassault Systèmes; Audrey Powers, Blue Origin vice president of mission and flight operations; and Chris Boshuizen, co-founder of the Earth-observation company Planet.

What time will William Shatner launch into space on Blue Origin's New Shepard?

By Hanneke Weitering last updated

After a 24-hour delay due to high winds, the New Shepard rocket is now scheduled to lift off at 10 a.m. EDT (9 a.m. local time; 1400 GMT).

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket launches the Landsat 9 satellite to orbit from Space Launch Complex 3 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, on Sept. 27, 2021.

In photos: NASA launches Landsat 9 Earth observation satellite

By Hanneke Weitering published

NASA launched its powerful new Landsat 9 Earth-observing satellite into orbit on Sept. 27, 2021, on a mission to monitor our planet's land resources.

The Inspiration4 crew placed a video call to Earth on Sept. 17, 2021.

SpaceX's Inspiration4 crew is having a blast and doing science in orbit (video)

By Hanneke Weitering last updated

From ultrasounds to ukulele jam sessions and space art, it appears the Inspiration4 crew is staying busy in orbit.

Amateur satellite tracker Marco Langbroek captured this view of SpaceX's Crew Dragon Resilience passing over the Old Leiden Observatory in the Netherlands, on Sept. 16, 2021. It is a stack of 37 1-second exposures, each captured 1 second apart.

How to see SpaceX's Inspiration4 spacecraft in the night sky

By Hanneke Weitering published

Four private astronauts are currently circling the globe in a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, and you can see the capsule from Earth.

The 2021 Humans to Mars Summit kicks off on Monday (Sept. 13).

Humans to Mars Summit 2021 is underway: Watch it live here.

By Hanneke Weitering published

The 2021 Humans to Mars Summit kicks off on Monday (Sept. 13), and you can watch it live online.

This sky map shows where Mercury will be visible from New York City at approximately 7 p.m. local time on Sept. 13, 2021.

Spot the elusive planet Mercury at its 'greatest elongation' from the sun this evening

By Hanneke Weitering published

Mercury, Venus and the first-quarter moon — along with the stars Spica and Arcturus — will appear to form a straight line in the evening sky on Sept. 13, 2021.

Mercury will be in conjunction with the crescent moon on Sept. 8, 2021, at 4:18 p.m. EDT (2018 GMT). The pair will be visible above the western horizon after sunset.

Mercury snuggles up to the crescent moon tonight

By Hanneke Weitering published

The tiny planet Mercury will make a close approach to the crescent moon in the evening sky tonight (Sept. 8).

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