Josh Dinner is Space.com's Spaceflight Staff Writer. He is a writer and photographer with a passion for science and space exploration, and has been working the space beat since 2016. Josh has covered the evolution of NASA's commercial spaceflight partnerships and crewed missions from the Space Coast, NASA science missions and more. He also enjoys building 1:144-scale model rockets and spacecraft. Find some of Josh's launch photography on Instagram, and follow him on X, where he mostly posts in haiku.
Latest articles by Josh Dinner

Ever have a scary HR meeting on your calendar? That's how the Artemis 3 crew found out their assignments
By Josh Dinner published
NASA took an unconventional approach to informing the astronauts of Artemis 3 about their crew assignments.

Japan's H3 rocket bounces back from failure with successful return to flight launch carrying 6 satellites
By Josh Dinner published
Japan successfully completed its first mission with its H3 rocket since a launch failure last year resulted in the loss of a payload.

NASA's ambitious Artemis 3 mission includes 3 giant rocket launches, 2 private moon landers and 1 big question: Can it all work together?
By Josh Dinner published
NASA's Artemis 3 mission in 2027 looks to be one of agency's most complicated missions ever, with three giant rocket launches and two private moon lander prototypes that haven't been built yet.

NASA reveals Artemis 3 astronauts for critical moon lander test flight
By Josh Dinner published
NASA named the astronauts who will launch on its Artemis 3 mission next year to test docking procedures in Earth orbit ahead of a planned moon landing in 2028.

Is this the next Artemis crew? A look at the astronauts on NASA's shortlist
By Josh Dinner published
On June 9, NASA will reveal the astronauts who will fly on the Artemis 3 docking mission in Earth orbit next year. Here's a look at the contenders.

Like 'the loss of a loved one': NASA's Mars orbiter MAVEN is officially dead after months of radio silence
By Josh Dinner last updated
NASA has declared its MAVEN Mars orbiter dead after Red Planet anomaly led to months of lost contact.

Blue Origin says New Glenn rocket will launch again 'before the end of the year' after explosion
By Josh Dinner published
After its rocket explosion, Blue Origin wants to complete repairs and put another New Glenn on the launchpad before the end of 2026, according to CEO Dave Limp. That's very ambitious.

Rocket goes boom, satellite cameras zoom: Explosive Blue Origin damage is visible from space
By Josh Dinner published
Satellites zoomed-in on the aftermath of the New Glenn rocket explosion at Blue Origin's LC-36 launchpad, and the extent of the damage is visible from orbit.

'A pretty significant setback': How Blue Origin's rocket explosion affects NASA's moon plans
By Josh Dinner published
The explosion of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket is a big setback for the spaceflight company and will have implications for NASA's plans to return astronauts to the surface of the moon.

Atlas V rocket launches 29 Amazon Leo internet satellites to orbit from Florida (video)
By Josh Dinner last updated
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket launched 29 Amazon Leo internet satellites to orbit on Friday night (May 28).

Incredible videos show Blue Origin rocket explosion could be seen from hundreds of miles away
By Josh Dinner published
Blue Origin's powerful New Glenn rocket exploded during testing Thursday night, May 28, blasting flames and debris high into the sky in a display visible across wide swaths of Florida.

SpaceX just launched Starship V3 — its most powerful megarocket yet — into space for the 1st time in spectacular Flight 12 test (video)
By Josh Dinner published
SpaceX's Starship V3, the most powerful rocket ever built, just roared off its launch pad in a spectacular show of power and technology.

SpaceX Starship Flight 12 launch updates: Starship V3 Ship makes fiery splashdown in Indian Ocean as planned
By Josh Dinner, Tariq Malik, Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX is now targeting a Friday, May 22, launch for its newest Starship design, the Starship V3 megarocket.

SpaceX stacks Starship V3 rocket, completes major fueling test ahead of debut launch
By Josh Dinner published
SpaceX has stacked its Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy booster at the company's new Starbase launch pad, ahead of the rocket's 12th test flight.

NASA satellite will test orbital 'gas station' tech to help astronauts reach the moon and Mars
By Josh Dinner published
You can travel much farther with a full tank.

This amazing NASA video shows the exact moment the Artemis 2 Orion capsule broke free of its service module, and we can't stop watching it
By Josh Dinner published
A new NASA video shows the Artemis 2 Orion capsule's separation from its service module just before the spacecraft slammed into Earth's atmosphere on April 10, 2026.

Watch NASA's new Mars helicopter rotor break the speed of sound (video)
By Josh Dinner published
NASA is testing the limits of future Mars aircraft as it works to develop a next-generation fleet of helicopters that will fly through the thin atmosphere of the Red Planet.

The world's biggest rocket: How SpaceX's new Starship 'V3' differs from its predecessors
By Josh Dinner published
How does SpaceX's Starship V3 stack up against its predecessors? The next-gen rocket has been completely overhauled, moving the company a step closer to a vehicle that can fly humans to the moon.

Blue Origin's lunar lander mockup is ready for NASA Artemis astronaut training
By Josh Dinner published
A mockup of Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 2 lunar lander has been assembled at the Johnson Space Center, and is ready for Artemis astronauts to come aboard to begin training.

NASA's Artemis 3 rocket is taking shape for 2027 launch to test lunar landers (photo)
By Josh Dinner published
The core stage for NASA's Artemis 3 rocket has been raised inside the Vehicle Assembly Building, and is awaiting engine integration.

How NASA lunar scientists taught Artemis 2 astronauts to see the moon with different eyes
By Josh Dinner published
"I see a dynamic moon. I see a moon that tells us its history."

NASA's Artemis 2 commander and astrophotographer team up to capture breathtaking, never-before-seen shots of the moon's far side
By Josh Dinner published
Astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy partnered with Artemis 2 commander Reid Wiseman to create stunning, never-before-seen views of the far side of the moon.

Blue Origin tests 1st moon lander ahead of lunar launch later this year (photo)
By Josh Dinner published
Blue Origin continues putting its first lunar lander through its paces, testing the spacecraft at NASA centers across the nation to prepare it for its upcoming mission to the moon.

Europe's 1st reusable spacecraft 'Space Rider' clears key hurdles on the road to launch
By Josh Dinner published
Space Rider, a novel spacecraft concept from the European Space Agency, is passing key milestones in its tests and qualifications to bring the vehicle to flight readiness.
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