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.

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

The four private astronauts of the Axiom Space Ax-1 mission to the International Space Station wave to students at Space Center Houston during a video call on April 13, 2022. They are (from left): Ax-1 pilot Larry Connor; commander and former NASA astronaut Michael López-Alegría; Canadian entrepreneur Mark Pathy; and Israeli entrepeneur Eytan Stibbe.

SpaceX, NASA delay undocking of private Ax-1 astronaut crew at space station

By Tariq Malik published

NASA and SpaceX delayed the undocking of private Ax-1 astronauts from the International Space Station by another day due to bad weather.

International Space Station
A Chinese Long March 3B rocket launches the Zhongxing 6D communications satellite into orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on April 15, 2022.

China launched 2 rockets back-to-back just ahead of astronauts' landing

By Tariq Malik last updated

China launched two rockets in six hours Friday during a busy day that also included the successful astronaut landing.

Launches & Spacecraft
SpaceX's Crew Dragon Endeavour with the Axiom-1 crew docks to the International Space Station on Saturday, April 9, 2022.

See amazing photos of SpaceX's Ax-1 private astronaut launch and mission

By Daisy Dobrijevic published

Check out these amazing photos of Axiom Space's historic Ax-1 mission, the first all-private mission to the International Space Station.

Space Exploration
osmonauts Anton Shkaplerov (left) and Pyotr Dubrov (right) work to outfit the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module during a seven-hour and 11-minute spacewalk Jan. 19, 2022.

Watch 2 Russian cosmonauts spacewalk outside the International Space Station today

By Tariq Malik published

Two Russian cosmonauts will take a spacewalk outside the International Space Station today (April 18) and you'll be able to watch it live online.

International Space Station
The full moon of April illuminates the night in Idlib, Syria on April 16, 2022. This year, the pink moon was seen during the month of Ramadan.

Amazing photos of Full Pink Moon of April 2022 (gallery)

By Tariq Malik last updated

See amazing photos of the Full Pink Moon of April 2022 over Easter, Passover and Ramadan on April 16.

Stargazing
This still from NASA's Crew-2 landing webcast on Nov. 8, 2021 shows the delayed opening of one of four parachutes on SpaceX's returning Dragon capsule carrying astronauts home from the International Space Station.

NASA, SpaceX to provide Crew-4 astronaut launch update today. How to listen live.

By Tariq Malik last updated

NASA and SpaceX will hold announce an update to the agency's next astronaut launch from Florida today (Feb. 4) and you can follow it live online.

Human Spaceflight
China's Shenzhou 13 astronauts give thumb's up signs as they prepare to return to Earth from the Tiangong space station core module Tianhe in April 2022. They are (from left): Wang Yaping; commander Zhai Zhigang; and Ye Guangfu.

Watch China's Shenzhou 13 astronauts return to Earth from space station tonight

By Tariq Malik last updated

China's first astronaut crew to spend a record-setting six months aboard the country's new space station returns to Earth tonight and you can watch it live online.

Launches & Spacecraft
NASA's Artemis 1 moon rocket, the first Space Launch System booster, stands top Launch Pad 39B of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida as the International Space Station flies overhead as a streak visible in the upper left on April 8, 2022.

Artemis 1 moon rocket gets space station flyover in stunning NASA photo

By Tariq Malik published

A serene new NASA photo shows the agency's Artemis 1 moon rocket as the International Space Station flies overhead during a critical test.

Artemis
Google's Earth Day 2021 doodle celebrates tree-planting on Earth and inspiring future generations to care for our planet.

Celebrate Earth Day 2021 with this 'beau-tree-ful' Google Doodle

By Tariq Malik last updated

Earth Day 2021 is here and the folks at Google hope it plants a tree in your heart with this adorable Google doodle.

Earth
NASA's Artemis 1 Space Launch System moon rocket is seen atop Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida during wet dress rehearsal test on April 4, 2022.

Stuck valve stalls NASA's 2nd attempt to fuel giant Artemis 1 moon rocket

By Tariq Malik last updated

A stuck vent valve has stalled NASA's second attempt to fuel its Artemis 1 moon mission megarocket.

Artemis
SpaceX founder Elon Musk announced his offer to buy 100% of Twitter in cash on Thursday (April 14).

Elon Musk offers to buy Twitter for a reported $43 billion in cash

By Tariq Malik last updated

Elon Musk wants to buy Twitter. The SpaceX and Tesla chief announced his bid to buy the social media company Thursday (April 14).

Entertainment
NASA's Insight lander captured this image of sunrise on Mars on April 10, 2022.

See a sunrise on Mars in this stunning view from NASA's InSight lander (photo)

By Tariq Malik published

This stunning sunrise on Mars comes courtesy of NASA's InSight Mars lander, which took the photo on April 10, 2022.

Mars
Warning signs tell people to stay away from Area 51.

Area 51 Exists! But Where Are the Aliens?

By Tariq Malik last updated

Search for Life
Amazon's fulfillment and web services branches have joined the Orbital Reef commercial space station project led by Blue Origin, Sierra Space and Boeing to build a private outpost in orbit.

Amazon joins Orbital Reef commercial space station project

By Tariq Malik published

Amazon has joined the Orbital Reef commercial space station project led by Blue Origin, Sierra Space and Boeing.

Private Spaceflight
Lightning strikes the umbilical tower of NASA's moon-bound Space Launch System rocket during preparations for a critical Artemis 1 fueling test on April 2, 2022.

Lightning strikes NASA's Artemis 1 moon megarocket launch pad during test

By Tariq Malik last updated

Lightning struck the launch pad home of NASA's giant Artemis 1 moon rocket several times on Saturday (April 2).

Artemis
NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop a mobile launcher at Launch Complex 39B, Sunday, April 3, 2022, as the Artemis I launch team conducts the wet dress rehearsal test at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA calls off critical Artemis 1 moon rocket test over safety concerns

By Tariq Malik last updated

NASA called off a critical fueling test of its Artemis 1 moon rocket Sunday due to safety concerns with ground equipment.

Artemis
Actor Pete Davidson attending an event at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on Sept. 13, 2021.

Pete Davidson won't launch to space with Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin after all

By Tariq Malik last updated

SNL star Pete Davidson will no longer launch on Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket after a delay.

Private Spaceflight
This NASA graphic shows the path of the asteroid 2022 FB2 as it flew within 93,000 miles of Earth in a flyby on March 28, 2022.

House-sized asteroid zooms by Earth in close flyby

By Tariq Malik published

A newly-discovered asteroid about the size of a house is passing close by Earth on Monday (March 28) but is no cause for alarm.

Asteroids
This SpaceX concept shows the company's massive Starship vehicle on the moon as a lunar lander for NASA Artemis astronauts.

NASA to discuss Artemis moon lander plan for astronauts today. How to listen online.

By Tariq Malik published

NASA will provide an update on its Artemis moon lander plan and you'll be able to listen to it live online.

Artemis
Netflix's "Return to Space" documentary chronicles SpaceX's historic Demo-2 mission, which launched two NASA astronauts in May 2020 in the company's first crewed flight.

Watch the trailer for 'Return to Space' on Netflix chronicling SpaceX's historic 1st astronaut launch

By Tariq Malik published

SpaceX's historic first astronaut launch for NASA is the star of Netflix's "Return to Space" documentary launching April 7.

Space Movies & Shows
Cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev, Denis Matveev and Sergey Korsakov float aboard the International Space Station after arriving on a Soyuz spacecraft on March 18, 2022. The trio donned bright yellow and blue flight suits as they joined seven other crewmates on the station.

Russia dismisses reports that cosmonauts' yellow and blue flight suits referred to Ukraine

By Tariq Malik published

Russia's space agency Roscosmos has dismissed reports that three cosmonauts wore suits in colors of Ukraine.

Space Exploration
Russian defense officials say the country has fired a Kinzhal hypersonic missile, seen here in a 2018 photo on a MiG 31k fighter jet, into Ukraine in an attack on March 18, 2022. It's the first time the missile has been used in combat.

Russia says it used a hypersonic missile in Ukraine for first time: report

By Tariq Malik published

Russia says it used its new Kinzhal hypersonic missile in an attack on Ukraine on Friday, marking its first use in combat.

Tech
An artist's illustration of the James Webb Space Telescope in its fully deployed configuration.

NASA to release new James Webb Space Telescope images in update today. Here's when to look.

By Tariq Malik last updated

NASA will release new images from the James Webb Space Telescope and discuss its mirror alignment today (March 16)

James Webb Space Telescope
An Astra rocket stands poised to launch the ELaNa 41 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 5, 2022.

You can watch Astra's return-to-flight rocket launch from Alaska today. Here's how.

By Tariq Malik last updated

The private spaceflight startup Astra will launch a commercial mission for Spaceflight, Inc. Tuesday (March 15) and you can watch it live online.

Launches & Spacecraft
An Astra Rocket carrying the Astra-1 payloads for Spaceflight Inc. stands atop its launchpad at the Pacific Spaceport Complex on Kodiak Island, Alaska ahead of a March 14, 2022 launch attempt.

Astra scrubs return-to-flight rocket launch due to lightning risk

By Tariq Malik published

Space startup Astra called off its first attempt to launch a rocket since a failed flight last month due to lightning.

Launches & Spacecraft
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