Mike Wall

Mike Wall

Senior Space Writer

Michael Wall is a Senior Space Writer with Space.com (opens in new tab) and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers exoplanets, spaceflight and military space, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, "Out There," was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.

Articles by: Mike Wall

The Russian-built Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft docked at the International Space Station above a blue Earth.

Hole spotted in leaky Russian Soyuz spacecraft

By Mike Wall published

An inspection of the leaky Russian Soyuz spacecraft docked to the International Space Station has revealed a small hole, though it's unclear if it was caused by a micrometeoroid strike.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches on its record-breaking 15th mission on Dec. 17, 2022, carrying 54 Starlink satellites to orbit.

SpaceX rocket launches on record-setting 15th mission, lands on ship at sea (video)

By Mike Wall published

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched on its record-breaking 15th mission Saturday (Dec. 17), then landed successfully on a ship at sea.

A view of the first RS1 rocket by ABL Space Systems on its pad on Kodiak Island, Alaska on during a Nov. 17, 2022 launch attempt.

Rocket startup ABL Space Systems targeting Jan. 10 for debut launch

By Mike Wall published

ABL Space Systems has pushed the debut liftoff of its RS1 rocket back a day to Tuesday (Jan. 10), citing high winds at its Alaska launch site.

NASA's Perseverance Mars rover, seen here in a selfie shot by a camera on its robotic arm, has been exploring the Red Planet's Jezero Crater since February 2021.

Perseverance Mars rover to start caching samples for future return to Earth

By Mike Wall published

NASA's Perseverance rover is set to cache its first Mars sample in the next few days, kicking off a roughly month-long process that will see the robot drop 10 tubes of Red Planet material.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches a batch of the company's Starlink internet satellites to orbit on Sept. 18, 2022.

Watch a SpaceX rocket launch 2 telecom satellites into orbit today (Dec. 16)

By Mike Wall last updated

SpaceX will launch two satellites for the telecom company SES on Friday (Dec. 16), and you can watch the liftoff live.

A long-exposure photo of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launching the Hotbird 13F satellite for Eutelsat on Oct. 15, 2022.

Update: Watch SpaceX launch NASA's SWOT water-monitoring satellite

By Mike Wall published

SpaceX will launch a powerful NASA water-watching satellite early Friday morning (Dec. 16), and you can watch the action live.

NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter captured this photo on Dec. 10, 2022, during its 36th Red Planet flight.

Mars helicopter Ingenuity aces 36th Red Planet flight

By Mike Wall published

NASA's Mars Ingenuity helicopter made its 36th off-Earth flight on Saturday (Dec. 10), staying aloft for just over a minute.

SpaceX's Ship 24 Starship prototype lights one its six Raptor engines during a brief static fire test on Dec. 15, 2022 in this overhead view.

SpaceX fires up Starship prototype again ahead of test flight (video)

By Mike Wall published

SpaceX ignited one of the six Raptor engines on its Ship 24 Starship prototype during a static fire test on Thursday (Dec. 15).

Artist's illustration of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite in Earth orbit.

SpaceX rocket issue delays launch of NASA SWOT water-watching satellite to Dec. 16

By Mike Wall published

SpaceX has delayed the launch of a NASA water-monitoring satellite by 24 hours to Dec. 16 to allow more time to investigate an issue with its Falcon 9 rocket.

A camera on the International Space Station shows an apparent coolant leak on a Soyuz MS-22 crewed spacecraft docked at the station that forced Russian Mission Control to cancel a spacewalk by two cosmonauts on Dec. 14, 2022. The coolant leak appears as frozen white mist around the spacecraft.

UPDATE: Russian space agency studying Soyuz spacecraft coolant leak on space station

By Mike Wall published

Two cosmonauts will work outside the International Space Station for about seven hours on Wednesday night (Dec. 14), and you can watch the action live.

A view of Earth from NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft as it approached splashdown time on Dec. 11, 2022.

From James Webb to Artemis 1: NASA chief hails epic successes of 2022

By Mike Wall published

NASA had a lot to celebrate in 2022, including the deployment of the James Webb Space Telescope and the end-to-end success of the Artemis 1 moon mission.

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft was successfully recovered inside the well deck of the USS Portland on Dec. 11, 2022 off the coast of Baja California. The Portland made it to port in San Diego two days later.

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft reaches port in San Diego

By Mike Wall published

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion capsule made it to port in San Diego on Tuesday (Dec. 13), two days after wrapping up its historic moon mission.

The Hakuto-R moon lander, which is operated by Tokyo-based company ispace, snapped this photo of Earth about 19 hours after separating from its SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The spacecraft launched on Dec. 11, 2022.

Private Japanese moon lander snaps 1st photos in deep space

By Mike Wall published

The Hakuto-R lander has snapped its first photos since launching atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Sunday morning (Dec. 11).

A view of Earth from NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft as it approached its home planet on Dec. 11, 2022.

NASA is over the moon with success of Artemis 1 Orion test flight

By Mike Wall published

NASA's Artemis 1 moon mission wrapped up with a Pacific Ocean splashdown on Sunday (Dec. 11), and NASA couldn't be happier with how everything went.

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft floats in the Pacific Ocean after a successful splashdown on Dec. 11, 2022.

Watch live as NASA recovers the Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft after smooth splashdown today

By Mike Wall last updated

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft will return to Earth on Sunday (Dec. 11) after nearly a month in space, and you can watch the homecoming live.

At 12:40 p.m. EST, Dec. 11, 2022, NASA’s Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission splashed down in the Pacific Ocean after a 25.5 day mission to the Moon. Orion will be recovered by NASA’s Landing and Recovery team, U.S. Navy and Department of Defense partners aboard the USS Portland ship.

Splashdown! NASA's Artemis 1 Orion capsule lands in Pacific to end epic moon mission

By Mike Wall published

An uncrewed Orion capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean this afternoon (Dec. 11), bringing a successful end to NASA's historic Artemis 1 moon mission.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches the Hakuto-R moon lander for the Japanese company ispace from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Dec. 11, 2022.

SpaceX launches Japanese lander, UAE rover to the moon

By Mike Wall published

On Sunday morning (Dec. 11), a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched a private Japanese moon lander that's carrying a UAE rover, among other payloads.

Tokyo-based company ispace's Hakuto-R moon lander is seen here being readied for its liftoff atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which is scheduled for Nov. 30, 2022.

SpaceX will launch Japanese moon lander, UAE rover early Sunday. Here's how to watch.

By Mike Wall published

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Japanese lander and UAE rover to the moon early Sunday (Dec. 11), and you can watch the action live.

A view from inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 9, 2022, as the mobile launcher approaches, carried atop the crawler-transporter 2 vehicle..

NASA rolls Artemis 1's huge launch tower off pad for repairs, upgrades (photos)

By Mike Wall published

The huge tower that supported the epic liftoff of NASA's Artemis 1 moon mission last month has left the launch pad.

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft captured this selfie with the moon and Earth in the background

NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft set for return to Earth on Dec. 11

By Mike Wall published

Artemis 1's Orion capsule is scheduled to return to Earth on Sunday afternoon (Dec. 11), wrapping up its historic mission with a Pacific Ocean splashdown.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 40 OneWeb internet satellites lifts off from NASA's Pad 29A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Dec. 8, 2022.

SpaceX launches 40 OneWeb satellites into orbit, aces rocket landing

By Mike Wall published

SpaceX launched a big batch of OneWeb internet satellites into orbit Thursday evening (Dec. 8) in a stunning sunset rocket launch (and landing).

NASA's uncrewed Orion capsule captured this shot of the moon crossing in front of Earth on Nov. 28, 2022, the 13th day of the Artemis 1 mission.

Watch the moon eclipse Earth in stunning video from Artemis 1's Orion spacecraft

By Mike Wall published

Artemis 1's uncrewed Orion capsule captured a jaw-dropping view of the moon crossing in front of Earth on Nov. 28, 2022.

Apollo 17 astronaut Gene Cernan, the last man on the moon, is seen here on the lunar surface in December 1972.

Happy anniversary, Apollo 17! Final moonwalking mission launched 50 years ago today

By Mike Wall published

NASA's Apollo 17 mission lifted off on Dec. 7, 1972, sending Gene Cernan, Harrison Schmitt and Ronald Evans toward Earth's nearest neighbor.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches a batch of the company's Starlink internet satellites to orbit on Sept. 18, 2022.

SpaceX reveals 'Starshield' satellite project for national security use

By Mike Wall published

SpaceX just revealed a new project called Starshield, which will leverage the company's Starlink satellite-internet tech for government customers.

NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter captured this image on Dec. 3, 2022, during its 35th Red Planet flight.

Mars helicopter Ingenuity soars higher than ever on 35th Red Planet flight

By Mike Wall published

NASA's Mars Ingenuity helicopter set a new altitude record on Sunday (Dec. 3), getting 46 feet (14 meters) up on its 35th Red Planet flight.

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