![Mike Wall](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ko9uBeoLfpGrWgq3eDjap3.jpg)
Mike Wall
Michael Wall is a Senior Space Writer with Space.com and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers exoplanets, spaceflight and military space, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, "Out There," was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.
Latest articles by Mike Wall
![a large white twin-fuselage plane flies against a blue sky.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Y7CBxGdqG3t7p6n24towmY-320-80.jpg)
Stratolaunch's huge Roc plane flies with fueled-up hypersonic vehicle for 1st time (photos)
By Mike Wall published
Stratolaunch's giant Roc airplane conducted its first-ever captive-carry flight with a fueled Talon-A hypersonic test vehicle on Sunday (Dec. 3).
![A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off with 23 Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eN65b7jxJE5jzwETmVLKLM-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX launches 23 more Starlink satellites from Florida (video)
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX launched another 23 Starlink internet satellites from Florida on Saturday night (Dec. 2).
![A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off with 23 Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Monday, Nov. 27, 2023.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ggKdj3fqAj4RANp6wER8LB-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX launches another batch of Starlink satellites from Florida (video)
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX launched yet another batch of its Starlink internet satellites from Florida on Monday night (Nov. 27).
![a white rocket stands on the launch pad beneath a cloudy sky, with a plume of exhaust to the rocket's upper right.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zkVJMGgLzbaqdM2dk644nT-320-80.jpg)
Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket aces crucial 7-minute engine burn
By Mike Wall last updated
Europe conducted a crucial seven-minute-long burn with the core-stage engine of its new Ariane 6 rocket today (Nov. 23), keeping the vehicle on track for a 2024 debut.
![close-up shot of 33 rocket engines burning, producing an orange glow and a blue-orange flame.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ZW6aFHbMYgrgQ6fe4Emnfn-320-80.jpg)
Epic 33-engine burn among successes of Starship's 2nd test flight, SpaceX says
By Mike Wall published
All 33 of the Raptor engines that power Starship's giant Super Heavy first stage performed well during Saturday's (Nov. 18) liftoff, SpaceX said.
![A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off with 23 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6dMVNZyBuzUvfTwfvczDyM-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX launches 23 Starlink satellites from Florida (video)
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX launched 23 Starlink internet satellites from Florida early Wednesday (Nov. 22), just a few days after its epic Starship liftoff.
![four workers stand atop a concrete pad surrounded by three large concrete pillars.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zeBP534T3QkrPzkiokakSd-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX's epic Starship liftoff didn't damage launch pad, Elon Musk says
By Mike Wall published
The second-ever launch of SpaceX's huge Starship rocket this weekend didn't appreciably damage the pad, according to company founder and CEO Elon Musk.
![A crowd of people on a beach watches the second-ever test flight of SpaceX's giant Starship vehicle on Nov. 18, 2023.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QXERswXkEThcrdGHFdbzWQ-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX's Starship should be ready to fly again before Christmas, Elon Musk says
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX will likely be ready from a technical standpoint to launch its next Starship flight in just three to four weeks, Elon Musk said. But the FAA also has to clear the vehicle for liftoff.
![A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 22 Starlink satellites to orbit from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base on Nov. 20, 2023.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MUnCjWRSJaoytFZhWKzkV-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX wraps busy weekend with launch of 22 Starlink satellites (video)
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX launched 22 more Starlink internet satellites from California early Monday (Nov. 20), wrapping up a busy spaceflight weekend for the company.
![a massive rocket lifts off above a plume of fire at sunrise](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XQkGwtju33nJxuQ4B5YiBN-320-80.jpg)
FAA to oversee investigation of SpaceX's explosive 2nd Starship flight
By Mike Wall published
The FAA will oversee a SpaceX-led investigation of the second-ever flight of the company's giant Starship vehicle, which ended eight minutes after liftoff on Nov. 18.
![a huge rocket blasts off above a plume of fire](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WxSVqi7cmmv27Hazq2qYfS-320-80.jpg)
NASA chief congratulates SpaceX on Starship's explosive 2nd launch test
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX's Starship notched a number of milestones on its second-ever test flight today (Nov. 18), drawing praise from NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.
![closeup of a black, cylindrical spacecraft next to its gray launch tower, with greenish-brown wetlands and the sea in the background.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Y9vvd8E5AhAntGtVmRVvB5-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX's 2nd Starship launch today (Nov. 18): How it will work
By Mike Wall last updated
Here's a brief explainer of the second-ever test flight of SpaceX's Starship vehicle, which is planned for Saturday (Nov. 18).
![A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off with 23 Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JC32xDeyWdAtNU5hytnDyU-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX launches 23 Starlink satellites on 1st of back-to-back missions this weekend
By Mike Wall last updated
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 23 Starlink internet satellites from Florida on Saturday (Nov. 18), the first of two planned Starlink launches this weekend.
![spacex's huge starship vehicle stands next to its launch tower, blocking out the sun in the background.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KRRnQLz6SzibnGx7EVA8YT-320-80.jpg)
Watch SpaceX's Starship launch on its 2nd-ever test flight today
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX plans to launch its giant Starship vehicle for the second time ever this morning (Nov. 18), and you can watch the action live.
![black and white photo of the moon's surface, showing a fresh, dark double crater.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KkvFjTqYjZWh7iZs7NRhXn-320-80.jpg)
Rogue rocket that slammed into the moon last year confirmed to be Chinese vehicle
By Mike Wall published
The rocket body that slammed into the moon in March 2022 was part of the Long March 3C that launched China's Chang'e 5-T1 mission in 2014, a new study finds.
![SpaceX's latest Starship vehicle stands fully stacked at the Starbase site in South Texas on Sept. 5, 2023.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MrCffCZdDWv38UXzQj98Wj-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX delays second Starship test launch to Nov. 18 to replace rocket part
By Mike Wall published
SpaceX delayed its second test flight of a Starship rocket and Super Heavy booster to no earlier than Saturday (Nov. 18), to replace a rocket part.
![illustration of a silver-white space station with the curve of earth in the background.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NeF3J5koAjJRDHdG4QHyuB-320-80.jpg)
White House lays out possible rules for private space stations and more
By Mike Wall published
The National Space Council has released a draft bill that would split the regulation of novel space activities between two departments: Transportation and Commerce.
![A SpaceX Starship atop its booster on the launch pad at Starbase in South Texas.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hHwEK7US8uv7Yxp6BVATAS-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX gets license for 2nd launch of giant Starship rocket
By Mike Wall published
The Federal Aviation Administration has granted a license for the second-ever liftoff of SpaceX's huge Starship vehicle, which could now occur as early as Saturday (Nov. 18).
![Space debris generated by the Russian anti-satellite missile test in November 2021.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xDJdcTpUUz4UuJoQZ6n5dZ-320-80.jpg)
26 aerospace companies sign statement against destructive anti-satellite tests
By Mike Wall published
More than two dozen companies are backing a United Nations-led effort to end destructive anti-satellite tests, which add yet more debris to Earth orbit.
![nasa's perseverance mars rover eyes the tiny ingenuity helicopter, which is resting on reddish, rocky ground a few feet away from it.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xqTpdDxHj6ZoFW6FzWwWvK-320-80.jpg)
NASA's Mars robots are on their own right now — here's why
By Mike Wall published
NASA has stopped sending commands to its Mars missions for two weeks, but that doesn't mean the robotic explorers are taking a vacation.
![A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off with 90 payloads destined for orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/endrZgt3vSsAtRi7qxyjsF-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX launches 90 payloads into orbit on 'rideshare' mission
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX launched its Transporter-9 mission on Saturday (Nov. 11), a 'rideshare' flight that lofted 90 payloads into orbit.
![A white and black SpaceX Dragon CRS-29 docks in space with blue Earth blue](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/q9cFKwKwkkqXkjbzeUARP9-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX Dragon cargo ship docks at ISS with laser experiment and more (video)
By Mike Wall last updated
A SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule arrived at the International Space Station early Saturday (Nov. 11) carrying tons of fresh supplies for the orbiting lab's astronaut crew.
![SpaceX's CRS-29 Dragon cargo spacecraft (at right) separates from the upper stage of a Falcon 9 rocket beginning its rendezvous with the International Space Station on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RuMZptMCW5XzrjTJ8sdLkL-320-80.jpg)
SpaceX launches its 29th cargo mission to the International Space Station
By Mike Wall last updated
SpaceX launched its 29th robotic cargo mission to the International Space Station on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023.