Tariq Malik
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
United Launch Alliance's 1st Vulcan Centaur rocket arrives in Florida for debut flight
By Tariq Malik published
The first of a new generation of United Launch Alliance rockets has arrived at its Florida spaceport to prepare for a debut flight.
Google celebrates Lunar New Year 2023 with Year of the Rabbit doodle
By Tariq Malik published
A new lunar new year is hopping off to a great start and Google is marking the occasion with a series of Google doodles.
Miss USA R'Bonney Gabriel celebrates NASA moon landing in Miss Universe 2023 national costume contest
By Tariq Malik published
When Miss USA R'Bonney Gabriel took the stage in the Miss Universe 2023 National Costume Show this week, she wore the moon, literally.
A dazzling green comet not seen since the Stone Age has stargazers thrilled in these amazing photos
By Tariq Malik published
The brilliant green comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) has captivated astrophotographers and may even become visible to the unaided eye soon.
NASA's tiny Lunar Flashlight moon probe may be in trouble in deep space
By Tariq Malik published
NASA's newest tiny lunar probe is battling a thruster glitch on its way to the moon.
Russia to launch new Soyuz capsule to replace leaky spacecraft on space station
By Tariq Malik last updated
Russia will launch an empty Soyuz capsule to the International Space Station February to replace a damaged spacecraft that is unsafe to return its crew.
See 133 days on the sun in just 2 minutes in this mesmerizing NASA video
By Tariq Malik published
A new NASA video reveals the ever-changing surface of the sun in a stunning time-lapse that spans 133 days.
Huge solar flare erupts on the sun from 'hyperactive' sunspot
By Tariq Malik published
A massive explosion on the sun unleashed a powerful solar flare from a new sunspot on Monday (Jan. 9), one that is slowly turning to face the Earth.
A dead NASA satellite from the 1980s just fell to Earth to meet its fiery demise
By Tariq Malik published
A vintage NASA satellite launched in the 1980s and long-since turned to space junk met a fiery fate late Sunday as it fell back to Earth, NASA says.
See the moon and 4 planets align as Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury and Venus offer a rare night sky treat this week!
By Tariq Malik published
The Christmas moon lines up with four bright planets in a celestial holiday treat this week.
Watch an epic Christmas tree launch for the holidays by DIY 'Rocket-tree' makers (videos)
By Tariq Malik published
Engineer and YouTuber Xyla Foxlin and DIY rocket maker Joe Barnard of BPS.space teamed up to launch Christmas tree from the California desert this year.
Perseverance rover drops 2nd sample tube on Mars, its biggest early Christmas present yet for 2033
By Tariq Malik published
NASA's Perseverance rover successfully dropped its second rock sample tube on the Martian surface, its longest sample yet.
Rocket Lab delays 1st US launch to 2023 due to unacceptably high winds
By Tariq Malik last updated
Rocket Lab's debut launch from American soil will have to wait a few more weeks after high winds thwarted an attempted liftoff in December.
NASA's InSight lander on Mars goes silent as power runs low
By Tariq Malik published
NASA lost contact with its Mars InSight lander on Monday (Dec. 18) after the spacecraft failed to respond to communications from its control team.
This may be the last Mars photo from NASA's InSight lander before it dies on the Red Planet
By Tariq Malik published
This photo from NASA's InSight lander on Mars just may be its last as the power-starved lander approaches the end of its life on the Red Planet.
Watch Rocket Lab attempt its 1st US launch with an Electron booster soon after delay [updated]
By Tariq Malik last updated
After years of launching rockets from New Zealand, the commercial space company Rocket Lab is ready for its U.S. launch debut.
SpaceX rocket launch at sunset wows some stargazers with ethereal 'space jellyfish' (photos)
By Tariq Malik published
When SpaceX launch two satellites into orbit Friday evening from Florida, it lit up the night sky with more than just its fiery engines.
Leaky Soyuz spacecraft tests thrusters at space station, US spacewalk delayed
By Tariq Malik published
A leaky Russian-built Soyuz capsule at the International Space Station test-fired its thrusters on Friday (Dec. 16) as part of troubleshooting efforts.
Soyuz capsule leak at space station prompts Russia to postpone another spacewalk
By Tariq Malik published
Russia's space agency has called off another spacewalk at the International Space Station as engineers investigate a coolant leak on a docked Soyuz spacecraft.
NASA's Artemis 1 moon mission: Mission updates archive
By Tariq Malik, Elizabeth Howell published
See the archive about NASA's Artemis 1 moon mission here.
Rocket Lab now aims to launch 1st Electron booster from US soil on Dec. 18
By Tariq Malik last updated
The commercial launch company Rocket Lab will have to wait a few more days for its first-ever launch from U.S. soil.
What time does the Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft splash down on Dec. 11 to end NASA's moon mission?
By Tariq Malik published
NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft will end a 26-day mission to the moon on Sunday, Dec. 11, and here's what time to watch.
Watch NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft return to Earth in these free webcasts
By Jeff Spry, Tariq Malik last updated
NASA's Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft is returning to Earth from the moon on its historic uncrewed test flight and you can see live views and mission updates from NASA right now for free.
Holiday sale: Save 32% on your subscription to All About Space magazine, plus read a free issue here!
By Tariq Malik last updated
Subscribe to All About Space today from just $8.77 per issue, in this holiday sale, saving you a massive 32%.
Fortnite's Chapter 3 finale event 'Fracture' just launched players to space to reforge the island
By Tariq Malik published
Epic Games' Fortnite Chapter 3 finale event destroyed the battle royale game's island battleground on Saturday (Dec. 3), then launched players into space to build a new one.
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