![Josh Dinner](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/euNBAbkdoaMezxhuUTcNtH.jpeg)
Josh Dinner
Josh Dinner is Space.com's Content Manager. He is a writer and photographer with a passion for science and space exploration, and has been working the space beat since 2016. Josh has covered the evolution of NASA's commercial spaceflight partnerships, from early Dragon and Cygnus cargo missions to the ongoing development and launches of crewed missions from the Space Coast, as well as NASA science missions and more. He also enjoys building 1:144 scale models of rockets and human-flown spacecraft. Find some of Josh's launch photography on Instagram and his website, and follow him on Twitter, where he mostly posts in haiku.
Latest articles by Josh Dinner
![Concept art depicts a Mars menagerie of machines that would team to transport to Earth samples of rocks, soil, and atmosphere being collected from the Martian surface by NASA's Mars Perseverance rover.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BRmR6J25JhBehfYTbwiHMJ-320-80.jpg)
NASA's Mars Sample Return in jeopardy after US Senate questions budget
By Josh Dinner published
A budget review from the Senate Appropriations Committee is suggesting NASA consider canceling Mars Sample Return if the agency can't rein in the mission's growing costs.
![A crowd mingles beneath the sitting Endeavour Space Shuttle. A Care in Space sign sits in the foreground.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/raPs9L7hKJkBUJd6EDKBDk-320-80.jpeg)
A Global Call for Innovation and Research: Humans In Space Challenge Seeks Startups and Researchers to Pioneer Human Life Beyond Earth
By Josh Dinner published
The Humans In Space Challenge offers a wide range of benefits, building upon the success of last year's inaugural event, the "Care In Space Challenge."
![a person wearing glasses on stage in front of a sign reading "Webb space telescope"](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/47rXp3wLD8h4yPKf9mP8aX-320-80.jpg)
NASA selects new head of science for the James Webb Space Telescope
By Josh Dinner published
NASA has announced a new senior project scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope, Dr. Jane Rigby, who helped get the telescope up and running in space.
![colorful wisps of gas in deep space in front of thousands of stars](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vWDMMpbz67onzb6qXomii6-320-80.jpg)
See amazing images from James Webb Space Telescope's 1st year gazing deep into the cosmos (photos)
By Josh Dinner published
The James Webb Space Telescope, humanity's most powerful eye in the sky, has captured some remarkable images in its first year of gazing deep into the universe.
![The grey side of a metal test stand curves upward like a stunted elbow from the bottom right. Its the profile of what's left of the historic Titan rocket's test stand. In the image's center, a cloud of smoke wafts from the ground as debris litters the surrounding air. Two cameras on tripods sit in the foreground, enclosed in protective housing. Green bushes grow on the left, as a row of green, hilly mountains rolls in the background.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ySkoseCJAnmZfSGPsEcy3Y-320-80.jpg)
Boom! Watch an inflatable space habitat explode during testing (video)
By Josh Dinner published
Lockheed Martin recently completed a successful burst test of the company's sub-scale inflatable space habitat, pushing past safety limits to explode the module at the company's Colorado facility.
![The reflective chrome bulging circular disk that is Orion's heat shield hangs below a circular scaffolding. White panels circle the edge of the heat shield where it attaches to the Orion capsule. Three technicians in masks and white coats are concentrated on different tasks.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8Q5CuQaHLxNaPqfGQCtfVe-320-80.jpg)
Orion spacecraft gets its heat shield for Artemis 2 moon mission (photo)
By Josh Dinner published
Technicians at NASA's Kennedy Space Center have attached the heat shield to the Artemis 2 Orion spacecraft, which will send astronauts around the moon for the first time in over fifty years.
![The Morphobot stands on its four wheels, which double a propellors when pivoted outward. The rectangular body sits above the top edges of the wheels and is colored with orange and blue triangular markings.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QwnMNFuCcDYYk8Qs2tZU3n-320-80.jpeg)
Morphing robot from Northeastern University could someday walk, fly and drive over alien planets (video)
By Josh Dinner published
A team from Northeastern University (JPL) has designed something that goes way beyond your typical rover, and may be the next step in robotic planetary exploration.
![Liftoff of Ariane 5 VA261 into the black night sky at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MxjWQq7ZGP2g7XhYCwHbWb-320-80.jpeg)
Say goodbye to Europe's Ariane 5 rocket with these stunning final launch photos
By Josh Dinner published
Europe's Ariane 5 heavy-lift vehicle is now officially retired, and the rocket's final launch on July 5 was picture-perfect.
![a rocket launches at night](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YFZJdaYzf8xPyLdNLGZVwQ-320-80.jpg)
Farewell, Ariane 5! Europe's workhorse rocket launches 2 satellites on final mission (video)
By Josh Dinner published
Europe's Ariane 5 rocket launched for the final time today (July 5) after 27 years of service, sending two communications satellites to orbit.
![A rendering in low orbit above Earth, showing many pieces of space debris of various sizes floating about.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NoUYFdQK6fJ3kakypWbZim-320-80.jpg)
The UK's ODIN Space just aced its 1st space junk tracking system test in orbit
By Josh Dinner published
ODIN Space's demonstration team confirmed their new debris sensor successfully recorded acoustic data during its recent on-orbit test, bringing micro-space debris tracking a step closer to reality.
![interior of a nasa mock mars base with meeting space, kitchen and futuristic lighting](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fUq3uhBL55By88gVr3X8Se-320-80.jpg)
Tour the mock Mars habitat where 4 NASA analog astronauts will spend the next year (video)
By Josh Dinner published
This video from NASA shows just how much space the four CHAPEA crew members will be sharing during their year-long mission.
![an ariane 5 rocket launches from french guiana in july 2021, rising into a darkening sky atop a widening pillar of flame](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7xHVnkZ8mCzckjYSCeG9F3-320-80.jpg)
The top 10 Ariane 5 rocket launches of all time
By Josh Dinner published
The Ariane 5 is set to fly for the final time on Tuesday (July 4), ending a 27-year launch career. Relive some of its finest moments here.
![a mirror on a tall stand reflects light towards solar panels on the moon](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JN7sdxCJPARKJq7e44rdXG-320-80.png)
Robotic 'Light Bender' on the moon could help Artemis astronauts keep the lights on
By Josh Dinner published
The Light Bender robotics project from space technology company Maxar will autonomously redirect sunlight to power solar panels in dark regions of the lunar surface.
![A white-bricked trench lays recessed in the pale green grass of a World War I memorial in France. Above, the night sky is diagonally streaked with a rainbow of stars.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qSjikUj2EFCxZYpk9ehCTh-320-80.jpg)
One of these 19 amazing night sky images will win 2023 Astronomy Photo of the Year
By Josh Dinner published
The Royal Observatory of Greenwich released a shortlist of the top submissions for 2023 Astronomy Photo of the Year. and the pictures are incredible.
![The silhouette of SpaceX's Starship centers the image as an orange glow of fire ignites from its engines.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jmzwbJiHDDi8Tp8CnfAnw-320-80.jpeg)
See SpaceX's new Starship fire up in these stunning engine test photos
By Josh Dinner published
SpaceX and Elon Musk have released mind-blowing photos from the recent test-firing of the company's latest Starship prototype.
![Portrait images of the crew of Virgin Galactic's first commercial spaceflight mission, Galactic 01; from left to right, Col. Walter Villadei, Pantaleone Carlucci, Lt. Col. Angelo Landolfi, and Colin Bennet](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3nSVwkyWFKNcQq59w32nog-320-80.jpg)
Virgin Galactic's 1st commercial spaceflight launches this week. Meet the 6-person crew of Galactic 01
By Josh Dinner published
Virgin Galactic has announced the crew of its upcoming first commercial spaceflight mission that is set to launch no earlier than June 29.
![a view of a spacecraft separating from a rocket in space](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/TRUrSUrGdAmuXBCkezonSa-320-80.jpg)
Private space tug spins out of control after recent SpaceX launch
By Josh Dinner published
An onboard anomaly sent space startup Launcher's Orbital SN3 vehicle into an uncontrollable spin following SpaceX's Transporter-8 launch June 12.
![three technicians in white clean-room suits examine electronic equipment on a blue table](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Zde5Hai9sFu2TFqResqysi-320-80.jpeg)
New laser communications system arrives at NASA for Artemis 2 moon mission
By Josh Dinner published
The Orion capsule that will fly NASA's Artemis 2 moon mission recently received an essential piece of mission hardware — a novel laser-communication module.
![artist's illustration of nasa's parker solar probe observing the orange, highly active sun at close range.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SHcYVnfokLECLkasAnhVjc-320-80.jpg)
NASA's Parker Solar Probe starts summer with 16th swoop by the sun
By Josh Dinner published
The Parker Solar Probe conducted its 16th perihelion pass on Thursday morning (June 22), cruising through the sun’s superhot outer atmosphere, called the corona.
![four astronauts dressed in spacex's black-and-white spacesuits pose at the company's california headquarters during a training session](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/38WnTEbLbeCWaBqyT6sKjP-320-80.jpeg)
Cosmonaut rounds out SpaceX's Crew-7 mission to the space station
By Josh Dinner published
SpaceX's seventh operational astronaut mission to the International Space Station now has a full crew manifest.
![a look up at the main rocket engine for the european service module 2, which will support nasa's artemis 2 moon mission](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PPPkcRiVFyTV5eVzGuCVt3-320-80.jpeg)
Europe hands Artemis 2 moon ship's service module over to NASA (photo)
By Josh Dinner published
The module that will supply power, life support, water, fuel and propulsion to NASA's Artemis 2 astronaut mission around the moon is now in the agency's hands.
![naa chief Bill Nelson stands at a podium with two people holding the juneteenth flag in the background](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MXFC3w8Gos3g2ANojNdUWT-320-80.jpg)
NASA recognizes Juneteenth with ceremonial flag-raising (photos)
By Josh Dinner published
NASA held a flag-raising ceremony on Thursday (June 15) to recognize the Juneteenth holiday.
![people in blue military uniforms cut a ribbon in an office](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Pqv87vaoyaSXLQJxwAF2qH-320-80.jpg)
US Space Force wants private companies to help it counter 'emerging threats' in space
By Josh Dinner published
The U.S. Space Force recently opened the COSMIC center, a new office aimed at taking advantage of a thriving commercial space industry.
![a space station in orbit above Earth](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/X4sDdds9bKLVzZ8cWtkgU-320-80.jpg)
Private space station: How Axiom Space plans to build its orbital outpost
By Josh Dinner published
Axiom Space is using the results of science experiments conducted on its private missions aboard the International Space Station to inform the design and use of the company's own orbital laboratory.