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

By Tariq Malik Last updated
See the latest updates for the launch of NASA's Europa Clipper to Jupiter's icy moon here.

By Tariq Malik Last updated
NASA's first mission to another ocean world in our solar system will launch toward Jupiter today (Oct. 14), but if you want to watch it live, you'll need to know when to tune in.

By Tariq Malik Last updated
SpaceX will launch its fifth Starship launch test, called Starship Flight 5, in what will be an audacious attempt to capture the giant rocket's booster at its launch site on Sunday, Oct. 13.

By Tariq Malik Published
NASA has postponed the launch of its next flagship mission to Jupiter by at least another day due to the impact of Hurricane Milton at its Florida launch site.

By Tariq Malik Published
A severe solar storm sparked by an intense flare from the sun could reach "extreme" levels as it bombards Earth, NOAA officials warned Thursday (Oct. 10).

By Tariq Malik Published
NASA and SpaceX cleared their Crew-9 astronaut flight to the International Space Station for launch, a Sept. 28 liftoff that will help return two Boeing Starliner astronauts home.

By Tariq Malik Published
Hurricane Helene slammed into Florida's Gulf Coast overnight Thursday (Sept. 26) with satellites capturing striking views of a colossal storm.

By Tariq Malik Published
NASA is streaming video views of Hurricane Helene today (as it approaches the U.S. Gulf Coast and you can watch it online.

By Tariq Malik Last updated
Find out the latest about SpaceX's private Polaris Dawn spacewalk mission for billionaire Jared Isaacman.

By Tariq Malik Last updated
The Polaris Dawn mission is currently scheduled to launch on Tuesday, Sept. 10. Liftoff is scheduled for 3:38 a.m. EDT (0738 GMT) from Florida's Cape Canaveral.

By Tariq Malik Last updated
Boeing moving toward a June 1 launch of its first-ever Starliner astronaut mission for NASA.

By Tariq Malik Published
A SpaceX rocket carrying the 7,001st Starlink internet satellite launched into orbit from Florida today (Sept. 5), then aced its landing at sea.

By Tariq Malik Last updated
SpaceX will launch a new batch of its Starlink satellites into orbit on Thursday (Sept. 5) and you'll be able to watch it live online.

By Tariq Malik Published
SpaceX launched two Falcon 9 rockets in just over an hour early Saturday (Aug. 31) and nailed back-to-back booster landings just days after a recent failure.

By Tariq Malik Published
When it comes to dreaming up a new take on the "Terminator" sci-fi action franchise, Netflix has put the horror of killer robots from the future front and center.

By Tariq Malik Last updated
NASA leaders will give an update on Saturday (Aug. 24) to outline their plan on how to return Starliner's astronaut crew to Earth.

By Tariq Malik Published
SpaceX launched a new batch of Starlink internet satellites into orbit with a rocket that, in a rarity for the company, made its maiden voyage on the flight.

By Tariq Malik Published
An uncrewed Russian cargo ship successfully docked at the International Space Station early Saturday (Aug. 17) to deliver tons of fresh gear, food and other vital supplies to the orbiting lab.

By Tariq Malik Published
The sun's stormy weather is supercharging auroras on Earth this week, due to a series of intense geomagnetic storms triggered by recent solar flares.

By Tariq Malik Last updated
Twenty-five years ago this week, on July 20, 1999, Space.com went live for the very first time and what a trip its been in space.

By Tariq Malik Last updated
Be sure to join us at Space.com at 12 p.m. ET (1600 GMT) on July 17 for what promises to be an amazing discussion on the future of space exploration and astronomy.

By Tariq Malik Published
To celebrate our 25th anniversary, Space.com is running a weeklong special report on some of our favorite topics of space exploration.

By Josh Dinner, Tariq Malik Published
June's Strawberry Full Moon of 2024 delighted skywatcher from across the globe, and was captured in some amazing photos.

By Tariq Malik Published
A SpaceX rocket suffered a last-second abort during the attempted launch of 22 Starlink internet satellites from Florida on Friday (June 14).

By Tariq Malik Published
It sounded like a nightmare scenario: An astronaut commander on the International Space Station in distress and a flight surgeon on Earth stuck in traffic. But it was all a simulation.
Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!