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Tariq Malik

SPACE.COM EDITOR IN CHIEF — Tariq joined the Space.com team in 2001 as a staff writer, and later editor, covering human spaceflight, exploration and space science. He became Space.com's Managing Editor in 2009. Before joining Space.com, Tariq was a staff reporter for The Los Angeles Times. He 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. He has journalism degrees from the University of Southern California and New York University. To see his latest project, you can follow Tariq on Google+, Twitter and on Facebook.

Articles by: Tariq Malik

The NOAA satellite GOES-East watched Tropical Storm Isaias' progress up the U.S. East Coast in early August 2020.

Satellites watch Tropical Storm Isaias batter eastern US

By Tariq Malik

Tropical Storm Isaias battered the U.S. mid-Atlantic coast with torrential rains and powerful winds on Tuesday (Aug. 4) as NASA and NOAA satellites tracked the storm from space.

NASA astronauts Bob Behnken (left) and Doug Hurley give thumbs-up signs inside the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour onboard the GO Navigator recovery ship shortly after having landed in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida on Aug. 2, 2020. 

Trump hails SpaceX's 1st splashdown with NASA astronauts. Obama, too.

By Tariq Malik

President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama hailed SpaceX's first splashdown of NASA astronauts on Sunday (Aug. 2)

Private boaters, one bearing a Trump flag, approach close to SpaceX's Demo-2 Crew Dragon capsule carrying NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley shortly after its splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico off the Pensacola, Florida coast on Aug. 2, 2020.

Boaters gatecrash SpaceX's 1st splashdown with astronauts. 'We need to do better,' NASA chief says

By Tariq Malik

SpaceX's first splashdown of NASA astronauts on a Crew Dragon capsule was gatecrashed by private boaters on Aug. 2, 2020.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft reenters Earth's atmosphere in this still from a SpaceX animation of how the Demo-2 mission works.

SpaceX to return NASA astronauts to Earth for the 1st time today. You can watch it live.

By Tariq Malik

A SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft will make its first splashdown with NASA astronauts today in the Gulf of Mexico. Watch it live.

A Russian Proton-M rocket launches the Express 80 and Express 103 communications satellites for the Russian Satellite Communications Company from Baikonur Cosmodrome on July 30, 2020.

Russian Proton rocket launches Express communications satellites in stunning nighttime liftoff (video, photos)

By Tariq Malik

A Proton rocket launched two communications satellites for the Russian government Thursday (July 30) in a dazzling nighttime liftoff.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule Endeavour (right) is seen docked at the International Space Station's Harmony module near Japan's HTV-9 cargo ship and the European Columbus laboratory on July 1, 2020. The capsule will return to Earth Aug. 2 with Demo-2 astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley aboard.

SpaceX, NASA watch weather for historic astronaut splashdown on Sunday

By Tariq Malik

SpaceX is ready to return its first NASA astronaut crew to Earth, but a potential tropical cyclone could cause delays.

Join Space.com as we talk the summer of Mars with NASA's Jim Watzin and the Planetary Society's Jim Bell.

Replay: Space.com talks 'Summer of Mars' with NASA, Planetary Society

By Tariq Malik

Join Space.com for our free "Summer of Mars" webinar on today, July 29, at 12 p.m. EDT (1600 GMT).

This NASA graphic shows the locations of asteroid 2020 OY4 and Earth during a close flyby of the asteroid on July 28, 2020.

An asteroid the size of a car just zipped by Earth in close flyby

By Tariq Malik

A car-sized asteroid discovered over the weekend flew by Earth today (July 28) at a range close to the orbits of some satellites.

Virgin Galactic will unveil the passenger cabin of its SpaceShipTwo space plane, seen here at center during a June 25 test flight, in a livestream on July 28.

Virgin Galactic to debut passenger cabin design for SpaceShipTwo today. Here's how to watch live.

By Tariq Malik

Virgin Galactic lifts the veil on SpaceShipTwo's passenger cabin today (July 28) and you can watch it live online. Here's how.

A Chinese Long March 4B rocket lifts off from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in the province of Shanxi . The rocket carried the Ziyuan III 03 Earth-mapping satellite and two other satellites to hunt dark matter and collect data.

China launches 3 satellites into orbit, including a 'lobster-eye' to hunt dark matter

By Tariq Malik

The satellites will map Earth, dark matter and more.

A photo of Mars from NASA's Viking spacecraft, which launched in 1975.

The best (and worst) Mars landings of all time

By Space.com Staff, Tariq Malik

Take a look at some of the best and worst Red Planet landings of all time.

A Russian Soyuz rocket carrying the uncrewed Progress 76 cargo ship is hoisted into launch position atop its pad at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan ahead of a July 23, 2020 launch.

Watch Russia launch a new cargo ship to the International Space Station today

By Tariq Malik

A Soyuz rocket will launch a Russian cargo ship to the International Space Station Thursday (July 29). Watch it live.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the South Korean military communications satellite Anasis-II stands atop Space Launch Complex 40 of the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida for a July 20, 2020 launch.

Watch SpaceX launch a South Korean military satellite today

By Tariq Malik

SpaceX will launch a South Korean military satellite from Florida today, July 20. Here's how to watch it live.

Comet NEOWISE is seen by NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, which captured the comet's twin tail on July 5, 2020. The lower, broader tail is the comet’s dust tail, while the thinner, upper tail is the comet’s ion tail.

Replay: See Comet NEOWISE online tonight in a Slooh webcast

By Tariq Malik

You can see Comet NEOWISE online tonight (July 18) in a lvie webcast from Slooh.

How to see Comet NEOWISE in the evening sky now. It won't be back for 6,800 years.

By Tariq Malik

Comet NEOWISE is now visible in the evening sky for stargazers. It won't be back for 6,800 years.

A Northrop Grumman Minotaur IV rocket carrying NROL-129, four classified payloads for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, stands atop Pad-0B of NASA's Wallops Flight Facility ahead of a July 15, 2020 launch.

The Space Force will launch 4 secret satellites from Virginia Wednesday and you can watch it live

By Tariq Malik

The U.S. Space Force will launch four top secret reconnaissance satellites into orbit from Virginia's Eastern Shore Thursday (July 15) and you can watch it live online.

The first stage of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that launched the Demo-2 mission on May 30, 2020, arrives in Florida's Port Canaveral on June 2, 2020. The same booster will launch the ANASIS-II military communications satellite for South Korea on July 14.

SpaceX test-fires rocket for South Korean military satellite launch this week

By Tariq Malik

SpaceX has test-fired a Falcon 9 rocket for South Korea's first military satellite launch on July 14.

On Asteroid Day, observed June 30, researchers around the world gather to discuss near-Earth objects like asteroids and efforts to avoid or lessen the danger of future impacts.

Celebrate Asteroid Day 2020 with live talks about planetary defense

By Tariq Malik

The Asteroid Foundation is hosting a five-hour series of panels and talks today to examine the state of asteroid research for Asteroid Day 2020.

NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover is prepared to be encapsulated in its Atlas V rocket payload fairing at NASA's Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 18, 2020.

Launch of NASA's next Mars rover delayed again by 'contamination concern' on the ground

By Tariq Malik

The launch of NASA's next Mars rover has been delayed to no earlier than July 22 due to a contamination issue with ground support equipment.

The test tank for SpaceX's Starship SN7 prototype is moved into position on its pressure test stand on June 12, 2020 at SpaceX's Boca Chica, Texas facility.

Boom! SpaceX pops huge Starship SN7 test tank on purpose in pressure test (videos)

By Tariq Malik

SpaceX pushed a massive tank for its latest Starship prototype beyond its limits Tuesday (June 23) in an intentionally explosive test in South Texas.

Google celebrated the summer solstice of June 20, 2020 for the Northern Hemisphere (and winter in the Southern Hemisphere) with fun Google Doodles.

Happy, summer solstice 2020! Google Doodle celebrates Earth's changing seasons

By Tariq Malik

It's official: Summer is here for Earth's Northern Hemisphere while winter arrives in the south and Google, as always, is celebrating with artful style.

A mysterious moon offers a tantalizing glimpse at what lies ahead in Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 3.

Astronauts may return to 'Fortnite' in Chapter 2 Season 3

By Tariq Malik

First there was a rocket launch. Then a black hole. And now, after what promises to be an epic flood, astronauts may be launching back into the game Fortnite.

SpaceX's predawn launch of its Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Starlink and Planet SkySat satellites created a dazzling spectacle in the predawn sky after lifting off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on June 13, 2020.

SpaceX's predawn Starlink satellite launch looks simply stunning in these Twitter photos

By Tariq Malik

When SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket into space Saturday (June 13), it delivered 58 Starlink satellites and three Planet SkySats into orbit. It also looked amazing.

Japan's Interstellar Technologies fails to reach space with private rocket launch

By Tariq Malik

Japanese space startup Interstellar Technologies Inc. failed to reach space with its latest sounding rocket launch, the flight of Momo-F5, from Taiki Town, Hokkaido this weekend.

A Rocket Lab Electron booster carrying satellites for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office, NASA and more stands atop Launch Complex 1 at Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand ahead of the "Don't Stop Me Now" mission launching on June 11, 2020.

You can watch a launch triple header from SpaceX, Rocket Lab and Japan tonight. Here's how.

By Tariq Malik

In the next 24 hours, rockets from Interstellar Technologies, Rocket Lab and SpaceX will launch from three different countries in a space age triple-header. Here's how to watch.