Mike Wall

NASA's dead Mars orbiter MAVEN will crash into the Red Planet in the next 100 years. It's not the only probe in the Mars morgue

By Mike Wall published 4 June 26

NASA just declared its MAVEN Mars orbiter dead after a dozen productive years circling the Red Planet. Here's the fate that awaits the probe.

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is not an alien spacecraft: SETI hunt for 'technosignatures' comes up empty

By Mike Wall published 4 June 26

Scientists failed to find radio signals emanating from the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, further bolstering its status as a natural object, not one made by aliens.

China launches debut mission of Falcon 9-like rocket with no advance notice (video)

By Mike Wall published 2 June 26

China launched its partially reusable Long March 12B rocket for the first time ever on Monday (June 1), sending it up without issuing airspace closure notices ahead of time.

Unlocking 'the true space age': Impulse Space raises $500 million to build out fleet of ultra-mobile spacecraft

By Mike Wall published 2 June 26

Impulse Space — which was founded by Tom Mueller, SpaceX's first-ever employee — just raised $500 million to build out the ultra-mobile spacecraft that it believes will transform the space economy.

China's Shenzhou 21 astronauts return to Earth after being briefly 'stranded', wrapping up record-breaking mission (video)

By Mike Wall published 29 May 26

China's Shenzhou 21 astronauts returned to Earth on Friday (May 29), wrapping up a record-breaking, and very eventful, space mission.

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket explodes in massive fireball during prelaunch test

By Mike Wall last updated 29 May 26

Blue Origin's fourth New Glenn rocket exploded during a prelaunch engine test on Thursday night (May 28). It could be a big setback for the company and for NASA's moon ambitions.

NASA is hatching a 'fast-paced plan' to boost this space telescope. But first, they'll have to find it

By Mike Wall published 28 May 26

NASA is working hard to predict where in Earth orbit its Swift space telescope will be this fall, so that a private spacecraft can meet up with the observatory and boost its altitude.

What's next for SpaceX's Starship V3 megarocket after its historic debut flight?

By Mike Wall published 28 May 26

SpaceX's "V3" Starship megarocket did pretty well on its debut flight last week. What's next for the powerful next-gen vehicle?

FAA grounds SpaceX's Starship V3 megarocket after Flight 12 'mishap'

By Mike Wall published 27 May 26

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has declared the debut flight of SpaceX's Starship V3 vehicle a mishap and is requiring an investigation before the megarocket can fly again.

NASA will reveal the Artemis 3 astronauts on June 9

By Mike Wall published 27 May 26

On June 9, NASA will reveal the astronauts who will fly on the Artemis 3 docking mission in Earth orbit next year.

Watch 2 Russian cosmonauts take 5-hour spacewalk outside the ISS today

By Mike Wall published 27 May 26

Cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev will perform a spacewalk outside the International Space Station today (May 27), and you can watch the action live.

Artemis moon base will cover 'hundreds of square miles' with hopping drones and new lunar rovers, NASA says

By Mike Wall published 26 May 26

NASA envisions its moon base covering hundreds of square miles, and hopping scout drones may mark the facility's perimeter. The agency just awarded $1 billion in contracts to get the ball rolling.

NASA is updating its Artemis moon base plan today. Here's how to watch it live.

By Mike Wall last updated 26 May 26

NASA will give an update on Tuesday afternoon (May 26) about its plans to build a moon base, and you can watch it live.

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 22 May 26

SpaceX is now targeting a Friday, May 22, launch for its newest Starship design, the Starship V3 megarocket.

Starship V3 from space: Satellite snaps amazing photo of SpaceX megarocket on the pad

By Mike Wall published 22 May 26

A sharp-eyed satellite captured an amazing photo of SpaceX's first Starship V3 megarocket on the pad Thursday (May 21), just before it was supposed to lift off.

Rocket Lab launches private Japanese Earth-observing satellite to orbit (video)

By Mike Wall last updated 22 May 26

Rocket Lab launched an Earth-observing radar satellite for the Japanese company Synspective early Friday morning (May 22).

How to watch SpaceX launch its 1st Starship V3 megarocket today

By Mike Wall last updated 22 May 26

SpaceX's new "V3" Starship megarocket will fly for the first time ever on Thursday (May 22), and you can watch the highly anticipated action live.

SpaceX's 1st Starship V3 megarocket launch scrubbed at last minute. Sorry, Nicki Minaj

By Mike Wall published 22 May 26

SpaceX's new "V3" Starship megarocket was supposed to fly for the first time ever on Thursday (May 21), but technical issues nixed that plan.

'Stop lying!' Conspiracy theorist confronts Artemis 2 astronauts, accuses them of faking their moon mission

By Mike Wall published 21 May 26

A conspiracy theorist confronted the Artemis 2 astronauts on Capitol Hill recently, accusing them of faking their moon mission. They showed more restraint than Buzz Aldrin did in a similar situation.

SpaceX will launch its 1st-ever Starship V3 megarocket today. The stakes couldn't be higher

By Mike Wall published 21 May 26

There's a lot riding on the debut flight of SpaceX's Starship V3 megarocket — including some of NASA's lunar ambitions.

Worker dies at SpaceX's Starbase ahead of Starship V3 megarocket launch

By Mike Wall published 19 May 26

A worker died at SpaceX's Starbase site in South Texas early Friday morning (May 15), as the company geared up for the debut launch of its Starship V3 megarocket.

Vast, builder of private space stations, launches line of high-power satellites

By Mike Wall published 19 May 26

The California startup Vast, which is best known for its space station plans, announced today (May 19) that it's launching a new line of high-power satellites.

Vega C rocket launches European-Chinese space weather satellite to orbit

By Mike Wall last updated 19 May 26

A Vega C rocket launched the European-Chinese SMILE space weather mission to orbit on Monday night (May 18).

These Apollo 'UFO' images have been public for decades. So why are people talking about them now?

By Mike Wall published 18 May 26

Much of the UFO imagery that the Pentagon released last week was new, but we've known for decades about the odd things that the Apollo astronauts saw on and around the moon.

SpaceX launches 6,500 pounds of cargo to the International Space Station after delay (video)

By Mike Wall last updated 15 May 26

SpaceX launched its Dragon cargo capsule to the International Space Station today (May 15) after a weather delay, sending 6,500 pounds of supplies to orbit.