Leonard David
Leonard David is an award-winning space journalist who has been reporting on space activities for more than 50 years. Currently writing as Space.com's Space Insider Columnist among his other projects, Leonard has authored numerous books on space exploration, Mars missions and more, with his latest being "Moon Rush: The New Space Race" published in 2019 by National Geographic. He also wrote "Mars: Our Future on the Red Planet" released in 2016 by National Geographic. Leonard has served as a correspondent for SpaceNews, Scientific American and Aerospace America for the AIAA. He has received many awards, including the first Ordway Award for Sustained Excellence in Spaceflight History in 2015 at the AAS Wernher von Braun Memorial Symposium. You can find out Leonard's latest project at his website and on Twitter.
Latest articles by Leonard David
How NASA will launch Mars samples off the Red Planet
By Leonard David published
The 10-foot-tall (3 meters) Mars Ascent Vehicle will blast rock, sediment and atmospheric samples off Mars in the early 2030s, in the first-ever rocket launch from the surface of another planet.
US military's mysterious X-37B space plane zooms toward orbital record
By Leonard David published
The Space Force's X-37B has now been aloft for 773 days, just a week shy of the program record.
Did China just detect signals from an alien civilization?
By Leonard David published
The internet is abuzz with rumors that China may have picked up signals from an alien civilization. But the pings are probably just Earthly interference, experts say.
Mars Base 101: How astronauts could make the most of a 30-day Red Planet stay
By Leonard David published
Mars astronauts could get a lot of science work done in 30 days on the Red Planet, even if they have to spend most of their time working to stay alive and stay healthy.
3 Chinese astronauts settling in for 6-month stay on Tiangong space station
By Leonard David published
The three Shenzhou-14 astronauts — commander Chen Dong and Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe — are settling in for a lengthy stay aboard China's Tiangong space station.
Tiny cubesat launching next year to blaze trail for NASA moon-orbiting space station
By Leonard David last updated
A high-tech pioneer for NASA's moon-orbiting Gateway space station is being readied for liftoff early next year.
CAPSTONE, a small cubesat bound for the moon, is preparing for an October launch
By Leonard David last updated
NASA's plan to "reboot" human exploration of the moon will get kick-started soon by a spacecraft the size of a microwave oven.
Little CAPSTONE cubesat ready to launch on big moon mission next month
By Leonard David last updated
Early next month, Rocket Lab is slated to launch a pathfinding cubesat mission that supports NASA's Artemis return-to-the moon program.
Teams in New Mexico gear up for Wednesday landing of Boeing Starliner capsule (photos)
By Leonard David last updated
Boeing's Starliner capsule is scheduled to return to Earth on Wednesday (May 25), and teams on the ground have been gearing to welcome the spacecraft home.
What's next for UFO studies after landmark congressional hearing?
By Leonard David published
Tuesday's (May 17) event was the first open congressional hearing about UFOs in more than 50 years.
Congress holding UFO hearing today: How to watch live (and what to expect)
By Leonard David last updated
The U.S. Congress will hold a public hearing tomorrow (May 17) on reports of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) skirting through our skies, and you can watch it live.
Mars sample return: Could Red Planet life contaminate Earth?
By Leonard David published
Hauling to Earth samples of Mars that might contain Red Planet life is deemed a low risk affair in terms of ecological and public safety — but that risk is not zero.
Iceland emerging as popular practice site for moon and Mars exploration
By Leonard David published
Iceland is an increasingly popular testing zone for spacesuits, habitats and off-world vehicles.
Area 51 Declassified: Documents Reveal Cold War 'Hide-and-Seek'
By Leonard David last updated
New wave of missions to reignite Venus exploration
By Leonard David published
Multiple research teams are developing missions designed to address Venus' potential as an abode for life.
Russian invasion of Ukraine: How it's affecting Europe's space plans
By Leonard David published
The European Space Agency Council will meet this week in Paris for its 306th session. On the agenda: "Implications of the current geopolitical situation on ESA's activities."
Watery graves: Should we be ditching big spacecraft over Earth's oceans?
By Leonard David published
Is dumping space junk over the South Pacific a good idea? Or can we do better?
Scientists gearing up for rocket body's March 4 moon crash
By Leonard David published
A wayward rocket stage is poised to bombard the moon on Friday (March 4), and the coming impact has earned some scientific attention.
Tonga volcano eruption yields insights into asteroid impacts on Earth
By Leonard David published
Space.com reached out to noted experts in the asteroid impact field to gauge similarities between an undersea belch and Earth taking an asteroid punch in the oceans.
Petition calls for US government release of UFO videos
By Leonard David published
A new petition calls for the United States government to release to the public all unclassified videos of unidentified flying objects (UFOS).
Moon mystery: Who launched the rocket that will slam into the lunar far side?
By Leonard David published
There's an ongoing saga regarding the object that will smash into the moon's far side on March 4.
Moon group pushes for protection of ultraquiet lunar far side
By Leonard David published
A newly established group called the Moon Farside Protection Permanent Committee has begun framing issues and solutions to guard against RFI corruption of the moon's far side.
Russia aims to rekindle moon program with lunar lander launch this July
By Leonard David published
Russia is ready to reactivate its moon exploration agenda, a former Soviet Union enterprise that ended decades ago, with the launch of the Luna 25 mission this summer.
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