Hanneke Weitering

Hanneke Weitering is an editor at Liv Science's sister site Space.com with 10 years of experience in science journalism. She has previously written for Scholastic Classroom Magazines, MedPage Today and The Joint Institute for Computational Sciences at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. After studying physics at the University of Tennessee in her hometown of Knoxville, she earned her graduate degree in Science, Health and Environmental Reporting (SHERP) from New York University. Hanneke joined the Space.com team in 2016 as a staff writer and producer, covering topics including spaceflight and astronomy.

Articles by: Hanneke Weitering

Blue Origin launches William Shatner and crew of 3 to the final frontier and back

By Hanneke Weitering published 13 October 21

William Shatner has boldly gone where no 90-year-old has ever gone before with a Blue Origin launch into space on New Shepard.

A New Shepard rocket and capsule blast off from Blue Origin's launch site in West Texas.

Blue Origin will launch William Shatner into space today! Here's how to watch it live.

By Hanneke Weitering published 13 October 21

William Shatner and three other passengers will launch into space today (Oct. 13) on the second crewed flight of Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket, and you can watch all the action live online.

Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson soars like Superman while in weightlessness during his Unity 22 launch on the SpaceShipTwo VSS Unity on July 11, 2021.

'Red light' warning flashed during Richard Branson's historic spaceflight, Virgin Galactic insiders say

By Hanneke Weitering published 3 September 21

It may not have gone as smoothly as we thought.

An artist's concept of China's first Mars rover mission, Tianwen-1, at the Red Planet.

China's 1st Mars rover 'Zhurong' lands on the Red Planet

By Hanneke Weitering published 15 May 21

China just successfully landed its first rover on Mars, becoming only the second nation to do so.

This pressure vessel, which came from the second stage of a Falcon 9 rocket, fell onto a farm in central Washington, local authorities reported April 2, 2021.

Debris from SpaceX rocket launch falls on farm in central Washington

By Hanneke Weitering published 5 April 21

A piece of debris from a SpaceX launch has turned up on someone's farm in central Washington, local authorities reported Friday (April 2).

SpaceX's Starship could launch on its first uncrewed flight to Mars in 2024.

Elon Musk says SpaceX's 1st Starship trip to Mars could fly in 4 years

By Hanneke Weitering published 18 October 20

SpaceX is on track to launch its first Mars mission in as little as four years from now, SpaceX's founder and CEO Elon Musk said Friday (Oct. 16) at the International Mars Society Convention.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk celebrates after the successful launch of the Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on May 30, 2020.

Elon Musk 'overcome with emotion' after SpaceX's 1st astronaut launch

By Hanneke Weitering published 31 May 20

SpaceX founder Elon Musk was choked up with emotion after his company successfully launched astronauts to space for the first time on Saturday (May 30).

The Falcon 9 booster separates from the rocket's second stage in this still image from SpaceX's Demo-2 mission animation.

How SpaceX's Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission will work in 13 steps

By Hanneke Weitering published 30 May 20

Here's a step-by-step explainer of what will happen during SpaceX's first Crew Dragon mission with astronauts, from prelaunch preparations to splashdown.

Annie Glenn is pictured at a celebration dinner at The Ohio State University honoring the 50th anniversary of John Glenn's historic flight aboard Friendship 7, on Feb. 20, 2012, in Columbus, Ohio.

Annie Glenn, widow of 1st American astronaut in orbit John Glenn, dies at 100

By Hanneke Weitering published 20 May 20

Annie Glenn, widow of the late NASA astronaut and U.S. Senator John Glenn — the first American to orbit the Earth — has passed away at the age of 100, NASA announced yesterday.

This artist's impression shows the orbits of the objects in the HR 6819 triple system, which consists of a binary star pair in which one star (orbit in blue) orbits a black hole (orbit in red), as well as another star with a wider orbit (also in blue).

Astronomers discover closest black hole to Earth. And you can 'see' it.

By Hanneke Weitering published 6 May 20

A newfound black hole may be the closest black hole to Earth, and you can spot its cosmic home in the night sky without a telescope.

South Dakota: Latest updates on coronavirus

By Hanneke Weitering published 27 April 20

Here's an update on the coronavirus case counts in South Dakota and the latest news on the COVID-19 outbreak.

You can see Venus and the moon in the "horns" of Taurus, the bull, on April 26, 2020.

See the bright 'evening star' Venus swing by the crescent moon tonight

By Hanneke Weitering published 26 April 20

After a close encounter with the moon on Sunday (April 26), Venus will be at its greatest brightness of the year on Tuesday (April 28).

Coronavirus pandemic's global impact seen from space in chilling satellite images

By Hanneke Weitering published 27 March 20

The global response to the novel coronavirus pandemic is so intense that it's visible from space.

This animation by Gianluca Masi at the Virtual Telescope Project shows the movement of the potentially hazardous asteroid 1998 OR2 in the night sky on March 16, 2020, between 4:31 p.m. EDT and 5 p.m. EDT (2031-2100 GMT).

Giant 'potentially hazardous' asteroid will fly safely by Earth in April

By Hanneke Weitering published 23 March 20

A large and "potentially hazardous" asteroid is poised to fly by Earth next month, but don't worry — it poses no threat to Earth.

Mercury transits the sun, as seen behind the Washington Monument, on Nov. 11, 2019.

Rare Mercury Transit, the Last Until 2032, Thrills Skywatchers Around the World

By Hanneke Weitering, Elizabeth Howell published 11 November 19

The tiny planet Mercury scooted across the sun's face today (Nov. 11) for the last time until 2032, and skywatchers around the world had the chance to witness the rare celestial event.

The Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys captured this image of two merging galaxies collectively known as Arp-Madore 2026-42.

Colliding Galaxies Form Piercing Eyes of 'Ghost Face’ in New Hubble Telescope Image

By Hanneke Weitering published 30 October 19

A ghastly face with glowing eyes glares in deep space in a new image from the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine says the first astronaut to walk on Mars could be a woman.

The 1st Human on Mars May Be a Woman, NASA Chief Says

By Hanneke Weitering published 21 October 19

It won't be long before we see the first woman on Mars, and she just might beat the first man there, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said Friday (Oct. 18).

NASA astronauts Jessica Meir (left) and Christina Koch are scheduled to take a spacewalk together on Oct. 21, 2019.

The 1st All-Female Spacewalk Is Back On, After Medium-Size Spacesuits Acquired

By Hanneke Weitering published 4 October 19

NASA is gearing up for a marathon of spacewalks, and one of them could be the first spacewalk to be conducted entirely by women.

India Loses Contact with Lunar Lander During Historic Mission

By Meghan Bartels, Hanneke Weitering published 6 September 19

India's daring moon mission, Chandrayaan-2, lost contact just above the lunar surface, dashing Indian dreams of becoming just the fourth country to successfully land on the moon.

Photos: Hurricane Dorian Rages in Pics from Space

By Hanneke Weitering published 4 September 19

As Hurricane Dorian pummels the Caribbean and the U.S. East Coast, NASA satellites and space station astronauts are keeping an eye on the epic storm from space.

Vice President Mike Pence speaks at the sixth meeting of the National Space Council at the National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Va., on Aug. 20, 2019.

New US Space Command Will Launch Next Week, VP Pence Says

By Hanneke Weitering published 21 August 19

The United States Space Command will officially be up and running by the end of the month, Vice President Mike Pence said today (Aug. 20) at a meeting of the National Space Council.

China's Long March 11 rocket lifts off from a mobile launch platform in the Yellow Sea on June 5.

China Aces Its 1st Rocket Launch at Sea, Puts 7 Satellites in Orbit

By Hanneke Weitering published 5 June 19

Watch the rocket soar above the Yellow Sea!

RIP Pikachu: Ashes of Beloved Cat Will Launch to Space in Cosmic Burial

By Hanneke Weitering published 28 April 19

Pikachu will go where no (cremated) cat has gone before.

How Flat-Earthers Explain Total Lunar Eclipses

By Hanneke Weitering published 22 January 19

1st Interstellar Visitor 'Oumuamua Is Actually Not That Special

By Hanneke Weitering published 18 January 19