Tariq Malik

Tariq Malik

Editor-in-Chief

Tariq is the Editor-in-Chief of Space.com based out of our New York City office and joined the team in 2001, first as an intern and staff writer, and later as an editor. He covers human spaceflight, exploration and space science, as well as skywatching and entertainment. He became Space.com's Managing Editor in 2009 and Editor-in-Chief in 2019. In October 2022, Tariq received the Harry Kolcum Award for excellence in space reporting from the National Space Club Florida Committee.

Hailing from Stockton, California (where he attended the same high school as NASA astronaut Jose Hernandez), Tariq studied print journalism and astronomy at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, earning a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1999 along with a minor in astronomy. He then served as a staff reporter for The Los Angeles Times covering education and city beats in La Habra and Fullerton in Orange County for the Our Times sections. 

In 2000, Tariq became the city reporter for the Huntington Beach Independent, a weekly publication of the Los Angeles Times, covering local politics and events, crime, business and environmental issues. He left the Los Angeles Times in 2001 to study science journalism at New York University, where he earned a master's degree in 2002 from NYU's Science and Environmental Reporting Program (now the Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program) under the direction of space reporter William Burrows.

Tariq first joined Space.com as an intern in September 2001 while also serving as a research assistant for nutrition writer Gary Taubes and writing freelance projects, where his work appeared in The Scientist and Laboratory Equipment Magazine. He became a full-time reporter covering spaceflight in 2004, with this first launch being NASA's STS-114 Return to Flight mission in July 2005.

Tariq is also an Eagle Scout (yes, he has the Space Exploration merit badge) and went to Space Camp four times as a kid and a fifth time as an adult. When not writing about space, you can find Tariq watching the latest Star Trek TV series, sci-fi movies and reading about hippos, his favorite animal. You can find Tariq at Space.com and as the co-host to the This Week In Space podcast with space historian Rod Pyle on the TWiT network. To see his latest project, you can follow Tariq on Twitter @tariqjmalik.

Latest articles by Tariq Malik

a triple-core rocket blasts off under a sunny, partly cloudy blue sky. smoke expands below next to an obscured launch tower, near a long white hanger with SPACEX written on the side. To the left, a bird flies away.

Rocket launch today: Is there a rocket launch and what time?

By Josh Dinner, Tariq Malik last updated

Follow Space.com's rocket launch blog for the latest on when the next rocket launch will be and how to follow it live.

Launches & Spacecraft

What is the moon phase today? Lunar phases 2025

By Tariq Malik, Daisy Dobrijevic last updated

Reference See what moon phase it is tonight and find out when you can see the rest of the moon phases for 2025.

Reference
A castle ruin is in the foreground of the image with a subtle pink hued sky and a bright full moon.

Full moon calendar 2025: When to see the next full moon

By Tariq Malik last updated

Reference The full moon happens about once a month. Find out when.

Reference
Large red letters spelling out NASA as a logo with a blue NASA icon nearby at the agency's headquarters.

NASA begins push to slash workforce with more staff buyouts, early retirements as budget cuts loom

By Tariq Malik published

NASA employees have until July 25 to decide if they'll stay or go.

Space Exploration
a cubic lunar lander on four legs sits on the dusty surface of the moon next to a small four-wheeled rover

What time is Japan's private ispace moon landing on June 5 (and how to watch it live)?

By Tariq Malik last updated

The Japanese company ispace will attempt to land its Resilience lander on the moon on June 5. Here's what time and how to watch it live.

Missions
The world's largest rocket launches into a blue sky on SpaceX's Flight 7.

SpaceX Starship Flight 9 launch: Live updates

By Tariq Malik, Josh Dinner last updated

Read the latest news about SpaceX's Starship megarocket test flights, launches, photos and more.

Launches & Spacecraft
SpaceX test-fires a Starship upper stage ahead of Starship's upcoming ninth test flight. SpaceX shared this photo via X on May 1, 2025.

What time is SpaceX's Starship Flight 9 launch today?

By Tariq Malik last updated

SpaceX is aiming to launch its Starship Flight 9 test mission no earlier than Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. EDT (2330 GMT), but only if conditions allow.

Launches & Spacecraft
The Hubble Space Telescope stands tall in the cargo bay of the Space Shuttle Atlantis following its capture and lock-down in Earth orbit.

How the Hubble Telescope became the 'Energizer bunny of spacecraft,' according to one of its astronaut visitors

By Tariq Malik published

How has the Hubble Telescope lasted so long? One of the astronauts who helped repair it explains.

Hubble Space Telescope
(L-R) Chinese astronauts Wang Jie, Chen Dong and Chen Zhongrui, who will carry out the Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceflight mission, meet the press at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on April 23, 2025 in Alxa League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China.

China reveals Shenzhou 20 astronaut crew launching to Tiangong space station

By Tariq Malik published

Veteran Chinese astronaut Chen Dong will command a crew that includes rookies Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie.

Human Spaceflight
A white Atlas V rocket with strap on boosters vents gas during fueling for Amazon's Kuiper 1 satellite launch.

Amazon's Kuiper 1 internet satellites get new April 28 launch date on Atlas V rocket after delay

By Tariq Malik published

The first 27 satellites of Amazon's Project Kuiper internet constellation are now scheduled to lift off atop an Atlas V rocket on April 28 from Florida.

Launches & Spacecraft
SpaceX's first Falcon 9 rocket to land off the coast of the Bahamas touched down on a drone ship on Feb. 18, 2025.

Bahamas puts SpaceX rocket landings on hold pending review: report

By Tariq Malik published

Landing off the coast of the Bahamas offers SpaceX new rocket flight trajectories.

Launches & Spacecraft
Pop star Katy Perry exits a Blue Origin space capsule after launch on April 14, 2025.

Katy Perry just became the 1st pop star to sing in space — but Lance Bass, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Sarah Brightman and Justin Bieber had their chance

By Tariq Malik published

Katy Perry isn't the first performer with space ambitions; Lance Bass, Beyonce, Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber all hoped to be first at one time or another.

Private Spaceflight
Katy Perry, Gayle King and Lauren Sánchez with three women in sleek blue flight suits for all-female Blue Origin launch

Katy Perry and Blue Origin's all-female rocket crew get Monse designer flight suits

By Tariq Malik published

The Monse Blue Origin flight suits were tailored for women from the start, designers say.

Private Spaceflight
A gold and white atlas v rocket on the launch pad carrying 28 Amazon Kuiper satellites

Launch of Amazon's 1st Kuiper internet satellites delayed by bad weather

By Tariq Malik published

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket will launch Amazon's first big batch of Project Kuiper broadband satellites today (April 9), and you can watch it live.

Launches & Spacecraft
A private moon lander stands on the lunar surface with relay satellites above

SpaceX to launch new Intuitive Machines moon lander, lunar satellites in 2027

By Tariq Malik published

Space Exploration
A white SpaceX Dragon space capsule with its nosecone open in space during docking.

SpaceX's next Dragon cargo ship launch for NASA will lift off on April 21

By Tariq Malik published

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch an uncrewed Dragon cargo ship packed with tons of supplies to the International Space Station on April 21.

Launches & Spacecraft
Polaris Dawn commander Jared Isaacman.

How to watch Jared Isaacman's NASA chief confirmation hearing in the Senate today

By Tariq Malik last updated

Trump officially nominated Isaacman, a billionaire private astronaut to lead NASA, shortly after taking office.

Space Exploration
A world map with a satellite trajectory and point of impact marked above Australia in the Indian Ocean.

Indian experiment module falls from space and crashes into ocean, but it's all according to plan

By Tariq Malik published

India's POEM-4 experiment module burned up and fell into the Indian Ocean to avoid becoming space debris.

Satellites
The four private Fram2 astronauts inside their SpaceX Dragon capsule in their black and white spacesuits

SpaceX Fram2 1st polar astronaut mission updates

By Tariq Malik, Josh Dinner last updated

Find out the latest about SpaceX's private Fram2 polar astronaut mission for cryptocurrency billionaire Chun Wang.

Space Exploration
Billionaire Jared Isaacman will command the Polaris Dawn civilian astronaut mission on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft in late 2022.

Jared Isaacman, Trump's pick for NASA chief, to get Senate confirmation hearing on April 9

By Tariq Malik published

Isaacman, a billionaire and private astronaut, has flown in space twice on SpaceX rockets and spacecraft.

Space Exploration
A view of the exhibit floor at the Northeast Astronomy Forum in 2019.

I'm going to a huge astronomy expo to see the latest telescope tech this weekend. I won't be alone.

By Tariq Malik published

Billed as the "World's Largest Astronomy & Space Expo," NEAF 2025 draws thousands of stargazers each year, with astronauts and exoplanet hunters speaking this year.

Stargazing
The four private Fram2 astronauts inside their SpaceX Dragon capsule in their black and white spacesuits

Cryptocurrency billionaire watches SpaceX rocket launch on the way to his own SpaceX rocket launch

By Tariq Malik published

Cryptocurrency billionaire Chun Wang and his Fram2 private astronaut crew got a two-for-one deal when they watched a rocket launch ahead of their own launch on March 31.

Launches & Spacecraft
A giant silver Starship rocket is stacked atop its giant booster atop a seaside launch pad for SpaceX's Flight 5. silver SpaceX Starship rocket as it is hoisted atop its booster.

NASA officially adds SpaceX's giant Starship megarocket to its launch roster

By Tariq Malik published

SpaceX is building Starship as a full reusable heavy-lift rocket to fly astronauts to the moon and Mars.

Launches & Spacecraft
the northern lights dance over a snowy landscape with a small car in the foreground

Aurora alert: Giant 'hole' in sun and strong geomagnetic storm converge to supercharge northern lights this weekend

By Tariq Malik published

A huge sun eruption combines with speedy solar wind from a "coronal hole" for a weekend aurora show, experts predict.

Auroras
A view of Earth from space with streaks of light from storms and cities, with star streaks overhead.

Astronaut takes a mind-bending trip over Earth beneath star trails: Space photo of the day

By Tariq Malik published

NASA astronaut Don Pettit captured this stunning long-exposure view of Earth and stars from space at night from the International Space Station.

Space Exploration
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