Robert Z. Pearlman
Robert Pearlman is a space historian, journalist and the founder and editor of collectSPACE.com, an online publication and community devoted to space history with a particular focus on how and where space exploration intersects with pop culture. Pearlman is also a contributing writer for Space.com and co-author of "Space Stations: The Art, Science, and Reality of Working in Space” published by Smithsonian Books in 2018. He previously developed online content for the National Space Society and Apollo 11 moonwalker Buzz Aldrin, helped establish the space tourism company Space Adventures and currently serves on the History Committee of the American Astronautical Society, the advisory committee for The Mars Generation and leadership board of For All Moonkind. In 2009, he was inducted into the U.S. Space Camp Hall of Fame in Huntsville, Alabama. In 2021, he was honored by the American Astronautical Society with the Ordway Award for Sustained Excellence in Spaceflight History.
Latest articles by Robert Z. Pearlman
![Astronaut Mary Cleave is seen on the mid-deck of the space shuttle Atlantis using a laptop computer to run a fluid experiment apparatus during the STS-30 mission in May 1989.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Nzi5bHffSJALp8B5DraseU-320-80.jpg)
Mary Cleave, space shuttle astronaut who led NASA's science division, dies at 76
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
Mary Cleave, who launched twice on the space shuttle before becoming the first woman to head NASA's science division, has died. Cleave was the 10th woman to fly in space and spent 11 days in orbit.
![a man in a black polo shirt holds a plush bear inside the international space station.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/E4m2huP5GWNvKLBFewNLoL-320-80.jpg)
Denmark's comic strip bear Rasmus Klump takes a spin on the space station
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
Denmark's first astronaut, Andy Mogensen, marked the midpoint of his second mission on the ISS by comparing his zero-g skills against those of another Danish icon, Rasmus Klump.
![The Mattel Matchbox SpaceX releases to date, including mainline (at left) and collector edition (at right) Dragon spacecraft and Sky Busters Starship and Dragon descent capsule. The line is expected to grow with a Sky Busters Falcon Heavy rocket in 2024.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/p7TCo33AsK5JDLXdw4wLwT-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX's Starship is now a Matchbox Sky Busters die-cast toy
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
SpaceX's Starship has launched into space and landed as a Mattel Matchbox toy. The reusable spacecraft is among the latest additions to the classic toy brand's line of aircraft (and spacecraft).
![three pens sit on a light-blue notebook on a table.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/h7Z3arTx3aWfMWy8k622x4-320-80.jpg)
Fisher Space Pens to fly with Blue Origin crews as 'official ballpoint'
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
Fisher Space Pen has new Blue ballpoints. The maker of the pressurized-ink writing instruments has partnered with Blue Origin to become the company's pen provider for all upcoming crewed launches.
![an astronaut floats in space in a spacesuit. an inset image shows a patch depicting a feather beside the space shuttle](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/78pDoxX4AvxmWKvVXwJSp3-320-80.jpg)
Chickasaw astronaut 'signs' patches for Native American girls' Space Camp fund
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
The first enrolled member of a Native American tribe to fly into space is helping inspire a new generation of Native American girls to possibly to do the same with a limited edition emblem.
![an astronaut in a spacesuit walks on mars](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Eq6etUvnSiF6tA3chZP6W8-320-80.jpg)
Season 4 of 'For All Mankind' debuts with alternate asteroid history
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
The events of 2003 changed the direction of human space exploration — both in our timeline and that of the alternate history series "For All Mankind." The fourth season picks up in 2003.
![technicians help an astronaut get into a spacesuit](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PGNsWRG4GRs487deyUcGM6-320-80.jpg)
Frank Borman, Apollo 8 astronaut who led first flight to the moon, dies at 95
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
Former NASA astronaut Frank Borman, who in 1968 led the first mission to fly humans to the moon, has died. Borman lifted off twice: on the Gemini 7 mission in 1965 and Apollo 8 into lunar orbit.
![two large white cylindrical objects stand vertically inside a roofless building, with the blue sky in background.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bzy2Do6qGq7PMPqKfWnjUQ-320-80.jpg)
2nd rocket booster lifted into place for space shuttle Endeavour LA exhibit
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
For the second time, the largest part of a space shuttle-era rocket booster has been taken vertical as part of the display of the orbiter Endeavour at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.
![two side-by-side photos showing large white cylindrical objects being lowered by cranes in big warehouse-like buildings.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BxXirKLhw3R5RCd8se9kPU-320-80.jpg)
Rocket motor lifted for shuttle Endeavour exhibit as NASA preps lift for Artemis 2
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
The future museum display of NASA's retired space shuttle Endeavour took a giant step upward as cranes lifted the first of two solid rocket motors into the vertical at the California Science Center.
![a man in a blue suit speak in an outdoor courtyard with "nasa" written in red in the background.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sqpUbb26Uu2q6stsHq3a2k-320-80.jpg)
NASA dedicates giant 'worm,' honors logo designer Richard Danne
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
Nearly 50 years after it was first introduced, 30 years since it was retired and three years after making its triumphant return, NASA honored the designer behind its retro-cool logotype, the 'worm.'
![a man in a black polo shirt stands in front of a life-size model of nasa's perseverance mars rover](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/26WwYotKQCN9VV3Enu9RFh-320-80.jpg)
Perseverance pastry: Celebrity chef Duff Goldman makes Mars rover cake
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
As it turns out, it takes a good deal of planning, patience and, well, Perseverance, to create a cake in the shape of a NASA Mars rover. Just ask Duff Goldman.
![a small grey rock inside a glass container](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/77KzpFfRKUa7eMwm6FfGRC-320-80.jpg)
Smithsonian debuts 1st display of asteroid Bennu sample brought back by OSIRIS-REx
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
A sizable crowd turned out to see a small rock as the Smithsonian debuted the first display of a piece of the asteroid Bennu from the sample recently brought back by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission.
![black and white photo of a man in a spacesuit inside a training capsule.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mwD6N4T6tSTcUt5SL9mqvX-320-80.jpg)
Astronaut Ken Mattingly, who launched to the moon on Apollo 16, dies at 87
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
For the record, Ken Mattingly never did get the German measles. The former NASA astronaut, who in 1970 was pulled from the Apollo 13 crew, died on Tuesday (Oct. 31) at the age of 87.
![two-panel photo collage, showing, at left, the cover of a book titled "space shuttle stories" and, at right, a crouching man in a suit holds a model of nasa's space shuttle](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kBG99ksQXs6BBfsRzzsHRW-320-80.jpg)
Astronaut Tom Jones' new book gathers 'Space Shuttle Stories' from fellow fliers
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
Tom Jones has his share of space shuttle stories to tell. His new book includes some, but adds to his experiences through the accounts of more than 130 other shuttle astronauts.
![two astronauts in spacesuits on the outside of a space station with Earth in the background](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oxbVh9UNDWFJ3aDKG5h9QH-320-80.jpg)
NASA astronauts complete 4th-ever all-female spacewalk outside International Space Station
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O'Hara completed their first spacewalk together outside of the International Space Station, the fourth all-female EVA (extravehicular activity) in history.
![Each of Chop Shop's three new glass tumblers celebrate a different set of "Milestones in Space" at the moon, Mars and outer planets. The drinkware is being crowd funded on Kickstarter.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GCTq79XagvptSUVgztDrqU-320-80.jpg)
Drinkware with a twist of space history: New 'Milestones in Space' glass tumblers
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
Space enthusiasts, get out your favorite powdered orange drink, because a new set of Chop Shop glass tumblers is bringing space history back to your kitchen cabinet (or basement bar).
![photo of dark powder and small dark pebbles on a silver metallic surface.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dm5zNnhjUt2JeSU4QFgVrM-320-80.jpg)
1st public exhibit of OSIRIS-Rex asteroid sample to open Nov. 3 at Smithsonian
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
The public will get its first direct look at a fragment of the asteroid Bennu when the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History debuts its display of the NASA-returned sample on Nov. 3.
![two cosmonauts wearing white spacesuits conduct a spacewalk outside the international space station.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NDqNNk65Xgjnrzm4cRThgY-320-80.jpg)
Cosmonauts on ISS spacewalk encounter coolant 'blob' while inspecting leaky radiator
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub got an up-close view of a coolant leak flowing from an external radiator while conducting a spacewalk outside of the International Space Station.
![us postal service stamps showing photos of a deep-space nebula captured by the james webb space telescope.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/TcL86AWvRiQVDq7SCwnWsM-320-80.jpg)
James Webb Space Telescope photos to feature on US Priority Mail stamps in 2024
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
The U.S. Postal Service is granting priority status to the James Webb Space Telescope with two 2024 Priority Mail postage stamps, each featuring a cosmic image captured by the deep-space observatory.
![an astronaut in a blue shirt floats in a space station module surrounded by windows. earth can be seen through the windows](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/X3ZtYE7av32kf9avDjRmuQ-320-80.jpg)
How astronaut Thomas Pesquet captured the planet in 'The Earth in Our Hands'
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
Flipping through his new book of more than 200 photos of Earth taken during his second stay on the International Space Station, you get the sense Thomas Pesquet thoroughly captured the planet.
![a person in a hardhat runs an angle grinder down the side of a giant rocket booster](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Yguq3XDfkF3LXtghX7KGL6-320-80.jpg)
Apollo artifacts: NASA salvages parts from Alabama's rest stop Saturn IB rocket
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
At the very end, it was the rocket that took itself down. The Saturn IB was in the final minutes of being laid down when it fell the last 15 feet to the ground.
![a large blue sphere with the word "NASA" on it in front of a large LED screen showing a rocket in flight](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BHtbeHciEE3q6g2h5YWbvG-320-80.jpg)
Space history and future leap off the screen at NASA's Kennedy Space Center
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
Guests at NASA's Kennedy Space Center can now see a space shuttle launch, a SpaceX Starship land on the moon and astronauts walk on the surface of Mars, all before they enter the visitor complex.
![four smiling people hold a large blue flag with the worlds "club for the future" on it.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/CjYBcHKUXbP32NmMpaL63o-320-80.jpg)
Benjamin Moore partners with Blue Origin to reveal space-themed color of 2024
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
What do you get when you mix a private spaceflight company with a manufacturer of premium and commercial paints? A shade of blue with a focus on STEM education and careers in space.
![illustration of an astronaut standing on an asteroid with a pickaxe, with the words "for all mankind" in gold in the background.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/a95jMVvFEn6reX82ByKr4c-320-80.jpg)
'For All Mankind' season 4 moves from Mars to the asteroids in new trailer (video)
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
The fourth season of 'For All Mankind' proves that an alternate space history series needn't be all about the past. It can be as current as this week, as the trailer for the Apple TV+ drama shows.
![a black metallic panel with a dial and multiple switches is shown at left, while a silver foldable shovel is shown at right.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HQ4K547R5UMBnLAMevd6bU-320-80.jpg)
Here's the (moon) scoop: Mercury 7-flown clock, Apollo lunar shovel up for auction
By Robert Z. Pearlman published
The clock is ticking on a space artifacts auction, though this time it is not just any timing device driving the bids. The 'satellite clock' from Scott Carpenter's Mercury capsule is up for sale.