Articles by Alan Boyle

Alan Boyle is an award-winning science writer and GeekWire contributing editor. Formerly of NBCNews.com, he is the author of "The Case for Pluto: How a Little Planet Made a Big Difference." Follow him via CosmicLog.com, on Bluesky, on Facebook, on LinkedIn, on Mastodon, on MeWe and on Threads.

Portal Space Systems raises $17.5M for orbital spacecraft powered by solar heating

Amazon and ULA get set to launch batches of satellites for Project Kuiper network
Outbound Aerospace achieves its first test flight and attracts more funding for airplane ambitions
Human-level AI is a few ‘miracles’ away, Microsoft pioneer Nathan Myhrvold says

Latest from Alan Boyle

Leila Elabbady and Clay Reid looking at computer screen with brain maps displayed

Scientists unveil new wiring diagram tracing millions of connections in a bit of brain tissue

Researchers say they’ve accomplished a feat that was said to be impossible 46 years ago: mapping the cells in a cubic millimeter of brain tissue and tracing their activity. The… Read More

Space Force allocates $2.4B in national security launch contracts to Blue Origin

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture has been awarded $2.4 billion in the U.S. Space Force’s latest round of procurement for future national security launches. “It’s an honor and huge… Read More

Illustration: Portal Space System's Supernova space vehicle in orbit

Portal Space Systems raises $17.5M for orbital spacecraft powered by solar heating

Bothell, Wash.-based Portal Space Systems says it has raised $17.5 million in seed funding to accelerate the development of its Supernova space vehicle, which aims to harness the heat of… Read More

Amazon Kuiper-1 payload delivery at night

Amazon and ULA get set to launch batches of satellites for Project Kuiper network

Update: United Launch Alliance postponed the April 9 launch of the first batch of full-scale satellites for Amazon’s Project Kuiper network due to unacceptable weather at the Florida launch site.… Read More

Illustration: Stoke Space Nova rocket ascending into orbit

Stoke Space and Rocket Lab join Space Force’s national security launch program

The U.S. Space Force has added Kent, Wash.-based Stoke Space and California-based Rocket Lab USA to the list of providers for its $5.6 billion round of national security launches. Each… Read More

Gravitics Orbital Carrier in space with Earth below

Gravitics wins support from Space Force to create an orbital carrier for space vehicles

The U.S. Space Force has chosen Marysville, Wash.-based Gravitics to build and fly an orbital carrier that could deliver maneuverable space vehicles to the final frontier — and have them… Read More

Outbound Aerospace's STeVe prototype aircraft takes off from Oregon runway for test flight

Outbound Aerospace achieves its first test flight and attracts more funding for airplane ambitions

Things are looking up for Outbound Aerospace’s quest to build a new kind of passenger airplane. The Seattle startup has raised $1.15 million in pre-seed funding so far, and last… Read More

Nathan Myhrvold and Todd Bishop on stage at Town Hall Seattle

Human-level AI is a few ‘miracles’ away, Microsoft pioneer Nathan Myhrvold says

Will artificial intelligence ever catch up with human intelligence? And if it does, is humanity doomed? Intellectual Ventures CEO Nathan Myhrvold, who had the job of predicting the future of tech during Microsoft’s early years, was ready with some answers at GeekWire’s Microsoft@50 anniversary event Thursday night.… Read More

Blue Origin rocket engine gives a boost to Museum of Flight’s Simonyi Space Gallery

Seattle’s Museum of Flight has brought its collection of space artifacts up to the present day, thanks to a rocket engine that’s been donated by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space… Read More

Ribbon-cutting ceremony at Portal Space Systems

Portal Space Systems opens its doors for a sneak preview of solar propulsion system

BOTHELL, Wash. — From the outside, Portal Space Systems’ headquarters looks like a standard-issue office space in a Bothell business park. But inside, the Portal team is working to harness… Read More

Illustration: Blue Moon MK1 lunar lander on moon with Earth in background

Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lunar lander is on deck to deliver NASA payload to the moon

NASA says it has penciled in Blue Origin’s Blue Moon MK1 cargo lander to deliver a scientific payload to the moon’s south polar region as soon as this summer. The… Read More

Six pictures of Blue Origin crew: Lauren Sanchez, Jeff Bezos’ fiancee; Gayle King, co-host of “CBS Mornings”; pop superstar Katy Perry; and Aisha Bowe, Kerianne Flynn and Amanda Nguyen, three advocates for women in STEM. (Blue Origin Photos)

Jeff Bezos’ fiancee, Lauren Sanchez, will lead female crew on Blue Origin’s next space trip

The next suborbital spaceflight planned by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture is due to follow through on the dream of Bezos’ fiancee, Lauren Sanchez, to lead an all-woman crew… Read More

Illustration: D-Orbit ION satellite carrier in orbit

Amazon Web Services focuses on optimizing artificial intelligence in space

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are turning into requirements for space operations, and Amazon Web Services is optimizing its products to reflect that view, according to the former Air Force… Read More

Illustration: Starcloud orbital data center taking shape

Lumen Orbit changes its name to Starcloud and raises $10M for space data centers

Redmond, Wash.-based Starcloud got its start just last year under a different name — Lumen Orbit — but the newly renamed company is already filling out its seed funding round… Read More

Blue Origin New Shepard booster descends to landing

Blue Origin’s latest suborbital space trip hits milestones – and throws in a mystery

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture sent its 10th crew on a quick suborbital ride to space today, extending its list of spacefliers to more than 50. And that list… Read More

Lessons from Taiwan: How digital tools can help governments regain the people’s trust

This is a story about how digital tools helped government officials regain the trust of the electorate — but it’s not a science-fiction tale about a future Reunited States of… Read More

Eviation's Alice electric airplane takes off

Eviation lays off employees and pauses development of electric-powered airplane

Arlington, Wash.-based Eviation Aircraft has laid off most of its employees and paused work on its electric-powered Alice airplane, which had its first and only flight test more than two… Read More

Illustration: Male and female astronauts floating toward a Valentine's Day heart in space

Sex in space? Find out how science weighs the pluses and minuses on Valentine’s Day

You might think sex in space would be an out-of-this-world experience — but based on the scientific evidence so far, low-gravity intimacy isn’t likely to be as much of a… Read More

Descent of Blue Origin New Shepard booster

Blue Origin puts a lunar spin on suborbital research flight of New Shepard rocket ship

For the first time, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture has put its New Shepard suborbital rocket ship through a couple of minutes’ worth of moon-level gravity. The uncrewed mission,… Read More

Satellite containers for Amazon Project Kuiper

Amazon ships Project Kuiper satellites to Florida in preparation for milestone launch

Amazon is providing a sneak peek at the satellites that are being shipped to Florida for the launch of its Project Kuiper broadband network — well, maybe not the satellites,… Read More

Seattle-area firm launches program to back new space ventures with million-dollar bets

Seattle-area venture capital firm Fuse wants to light a spark for entrepreneurs focusing on the final frontier, and it’s willing to invest a million dollars to turn a good idea… Read More

Blue Origin New Glenn rocket rises from Florida launch pad

Blue Origin launches New Glenn rocket to orbit for the first time, marking a milestone for Jeff Bezos

For the first time ever, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture has put a payload in orbit, using its heavy-lift New Glenn rocket. The two-stage rocket lifted off from Launch… Read More

Stoke Space brings in $260M for further development of its fully reusable rocket

Kent, Wash.-based Stoke Space says it’s raised $260 million in a new founding round to finish the development of its fully reusable Nova rocket and complete construction of a launch… Read More

Blue Origin reschedules orbital debut of New Glenn rocket, then re-reschedules it

Over the course of just a few hours today, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture made two adjustments to the schedule for launching its heavy-lift New Glenn rocket to orbit… Read More

Blue Origin rocket on Florida launch pad

Technical snag forces another delay for the first orbital launch of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture counted down to the final hour tonight, but in the end, the company had to postpone the first-ever orbital launch of its heavy-lift New… Read More

T-Mobile support truck on LA street with fire-lit sky in background

T-Mobile makes satellite texting available through SpaceX’s Starlink for LA amid fires

T-Mobile has opened up direct-to-cellular emergency texting over SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network on a temporary basis in areas affected by this week’s catastrophic wildfires in the Los Angeles area. In… Read More

New Glenn rocket on launch pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Launch Complex 36 in Florida

Blue Origin postpones first launch of New Glenn rocket due to high seas for landing

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture says it’s delaying the first-ever launch of its orbital-class New Glenn rocket due to unfavorable weather conditions for landing the first-stage booster. Liftoff from… Read More

Atlas V launch with prototype Amazon Project Kuiper satellites

The Year in Space: Amazon’s Project Kuiper revs up to join the megaconstellation market

Get ready for Amazon’s Project Kuiper to pick up the pace in the megaconstellation space race. So far, SpaceX’s Starlink satellite megaconstellation has dominated the market for broadband connectivity from… Read More

Blue Origin New Glenn integrated vehicle hotfire test

Blue Origin completes its last major test to get ready for first New Glenn rocket launch

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture says it’s put its orbital-class New Glenn rocket through its last major test in preparation for its first-ever launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force… Read More

A taste of space on Earth: Astronaut training startup raises $4M to market way-out experiences

Seattle-based Orbite says that it’s completed a $4 million funding round and sealed a strategic deal with Accor, one of the world’s leading hospitality companies, to advance its plans for… Read More

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