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. In June 2025, the National Space Society awarded him the Space Pioneer Award for Excellence in Mass Media at the International Space Development Conference in Orlando, Florida.

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

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
Telescopes, drones, binoculars, star projectors and more surround the space.com logo on a colorful sky background.

Last-chance Cyber Monday deals 2025 still available: telescopes, binoculars, cameras, Lego, streaming, drones and more

By Jase Parnell-Brookes last updated

Deals We've scoured the net for the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals on space-related gear, from telescopes to cameras and more.

Deals
three posters for space documentaries in a collage

Save over 60% on Disney Plus (and Hulu!) this Black Friday for the best vintage Disney space films

By Tariq Malik published

Deals Disney Plus and Hulu are bundled for over 60% off in this Black Friday streaming deal, so you can stream all the vintage Disney and National Geographic space documentaries you want.

Deals
A used SpaceX rocket on a seaside launch pad in California ahead of the Transporter-15 launch.

SpaceX scrubs launch of 140 satellites atop used Falcon 9 rocket from California coast

By Tariq Malik published

SpaceX called off the planned launch of 140 satellites atop a used Falcon 9 rocket on Wednesday (Nov. 26) in California.

Launches & Spacecraft
A white and blue Boeing Starliner capsule floats above a blue Earth with the black of space in the background.

Boeing's next Starliner spacecraft to fly won't carry NASA astronauts when it launches in April 2026

By Tariq Malik published

NASA and Boeing are also reducing the number of astronaut flights Boeing's Starliner will fly to the International Space Station.

Human Spaceflight
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
a blue and white Blue Origin New Glenn rocket launches and lands in a series of images

Blue Origin lands huge New Glenn rocket booster for 1st time after acing Mars ESCAPADE launch for NASA

By Josh Dinner, Tariq Malik published

Blue Origin's powerful New Glenn rocket launched for the second time ever today (Nov. 13), sending NASA's twin Mars ESCAPADE probes aloft — and acing an epic booster landing at sea.

Launches & Spacecraft
A white and blue Blue Origin rocket stands atop its launch pad for a NASA Mars launch.

Watch Blue Origin's huge New Glenn rocket launch a NASA 'ESCAPADE' to Mars today after delays

By Mike Wall, Tariq Malik last updated

The ESCAPADE Mars mission is scheduled to launch atop a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket today (Nov. 13), and you can watch the action live.

Launches & Spacecraft
A white rocket stands again a blue cloudy sky.

Blue Origin launch of huge New Glenn rocket with NASA Mars probes delayed by weather, next try set for Nov. 12

By Tariq Malik last updated

NASA's first Mars launch in more than five years will wait a little longer to get off the ground.

Launches & Spacecraft
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
NASA's Artemis 2 moon mission crew teaser with four astronauts in spacesuits.

NASA's Artemis Program: Live updates

By Tariq Malik, Josh Dinner last updated

NASA's Artemis 2 mission is returning astronauts to the moon for the first time since 1972. See live mission updates here.

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

SpaceX Starship Flight 11 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
A man looking up at the night sky with the Unistellar Envision smart binoculars with water in the background.

'It felt like something out of Star Trek.' I got a first look at the Unistellar Envision smart binoculars (video)

By Tariq Malik published

Deals These binoculars guide you through the night sky in real time, with a database of 200,000 stars, and in this hands-on test, I was impressed with their quality. They're currently also $500 off for pre-orders.

Deals
Four people wearing blue jumpsuits stand next to each other in front of a desk with a NASA logo behind them

'We are ready for every scenario.' NASA's Artemis 2 astronauts say they're all set for historic flight to the moon

By Tariq Malik published

The four astronauts of NASA's Artemis 2 mission to the moon, which could launch as early as Feb. 5, are deep in training for the first crewed lunar flight in over 50 years.

Artemis
A large white space shuttle labeled in red "NASA" is seen in the darkness of space.

'A front-row seat to history': NASA's Artemis 2 moonshot could launch astronauts as early as Feb. 5

By Tariq Malik published

NASA's ambitious mission to return astronauts to the moon for the first time this century is on track to launch no later than April 2026, but it just might fly sooner if all goes well.

Artemis
A zoomed out image of a the Rocket Lab launch complex, with a tall black water tower overlooking several buildings next to a wetland.

Virginia is for (space) lovers: Rocket Lab opens new seaside launch pad for reusable Neutron rocket

By Tariq Malik published

Rocket Lab's new Launch Complex 3 will launch Neutron rockets that can land themselves on land or at sea just like SpaceX rockets.

Private Spaceflight
A SpaceX Starship rocket stands atop its launch pad for the Flight 10 test flight on Aug. 25, 2025.

What time is SpaceX's Starship Flight 10 launch today? How to watch it live

By Tariq Malik last updated

SpaceX is now targeting the launch of its Starship Flight 10 test mission for Tuesday (Aug. 26) at 7:30 p.m. EDT (2330 GMT) after back to back delays.

Launches & Spacecraft
A stylized image of a stormtroopers fighting surrounded by eyes.

'Star Wars: Visions' season 3 release date, 1st glimpse unveiled at Anime NYC 2025

By Tariq Malik published

Lucasfilm unveiled a sneak peek at Volume 3 of "Star Wars: Visions" that hints at something new coming from a galaxy far, far away.

Space Movies & Shows

'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' is a love letter to the Space Age we always dreamed of

By Tariq Malik published

From rocketships and exoplanets, to FTL and black holes, there's something for every space fan in Marvel's "The Fantastic Four: First Steps."

Space Movies & Shows
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
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
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