About Author
Raj is a space writer at Starlust, specializing in translating complex astronomical phenomena into clear, engaging narratives. With a foundation in science communication and a background in journalism, he applies a structured, research-driven approach to covering topics across astrophysics, cosmology, planetary science, and observational astronomy.
His work spans a range of subjects, from stellar evolution and galactic dynamics to orbital mechanics and skywatching event guides, grounded in current scientific research and peer-reviewed studies. Raj is particularly focused on making cutting-edge discoveries in space science accessible to general audiences, without compromising on technical accuracy.
Driven by a strong belief that science writing should both educate and provoke inquiry, he constructs each piece to not only explain what we know about the universe, but how we’ve come to know it, highlighting methods, instrumentation, and scientific reasoning behind the facts.
Scientists urge NASA to repurpose twin Janus satellites for critical Apophis pre-flyby mission
Astronomers Roy Tucker, David Tholen, and Fabrizio Bernardi first identified Apophis on June 19, 2004, at the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Tucson, Arizona.
May 25, 2025
FAA greenlights Starship Flight 9 for launch following review of recent flight anomaly
The approval was given following a thorough review of the anomaly that occurred during Starship's previous mission on March 6.
May 24, 2025
Why Firefly's Alpha rocket suffered a 'mishap' during launch of Lockheed tech demo satellite
On April 29, a Firefly Alpha rocket suffered a critical malfunction during launch, preventing a Lockheed Martin technology demonstration satellite from reaching orbit.
May 23, 2025
Pentagon plans to deploy space-based sensors to identify missile threats as part of Trump's 'Golden Dome' project
The Discriminating Space Sensor (DSS) is being developed to greatly enhance the capability to differentiate real missile threats from irrelevant clutter.
May 22, 2025
U.S. lawmakers warn Trump’s NASA budget cut may hinder its ability to identify and track hazardous asteroids
The House Committee on Space, Science, and Technology met on May 15 to discuss NASA's strategy for responding to a dangerous asteroid threat.
May 22, 2025
SpaceX Dragon set to leave ISS carrying critical research for NASA and global partners
NASA+ will broadcast live coverage of the undocking and departure starting at 11:45 a.m. EDT.
May 22, 2025
SpaceX launches 23 Starlink satellites aboard brand-new Falcon 9 rocket after a last-minute abort
The latest mission marks the fourth new booster SpaceX has introduced this year.
May 21, 2025
Why SpaceX aborted its 60th Falcon 9 launch just minutes before midnight liftoff from Cape Canaveral
The Falcon 9 booster made its debut on the Starlink delivery mission on Tuesday after the halt.
May 21, 2025
Elon Musk's SpaceX required to pay $5,000 per year to zoo as part of FAA launch deal
SpaceX's increased launch approval from the FAA mandates environmental monitoring in collaboration with wildlife experts.
May 21, 2025
NASA begins stacking Artemis II amid uncertainty over SLS budget
NASA's proposed FY26 budget funds the initial Artemis crewed missions but aims to terminate the SLS program after Artemis III, jeopardizing future lunar endeavors.
May 20, 2025
Venus Aerospace tests game-changing hypersonic rocket engine in historic first U.S. flight
On May 14 at Spaceport America in New Mexico, a subscale rocket powered by Venus Aerospace's Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE) successfully launched at 9:37 a.m.
May 19, 2025
China is sharing precious moon samples globally — but one 2011 law prevents NASA from accessing them
A U.S. law blocks NASA funding for studying China's moon samples, leaving only one US scientist able to access them through private funding.
May 19, 2025
Norway becomes 55th nation to push for peaceful space cooperation by signing NASA’s Artemis Accords
Norway is the latest nation to join the Artemis Accords, becoming the 55th signatory overall and the third country to sign in 2025.
May 18, 2025
Private Athena lunar lander toppled over on the moon and was declared dead the next day
Intuitive Machines' Athena lunar lander, the second robotic probe from the Houston-based company, tipped over after landing on the moon's south pole on March 6.
May 18, 2025
NASA's Perseverance rover makes historic first observation of Martian auroras from the surface
'This exciting discovery opens up new possibilities for auroral research and confirms that auroras could be visible to future astronauts on Mars' surface.'
May 18, 2025
Scientists at NASA convert space telescope data into a symphony using sonification
On May 8, NASA released three new pieces of cosmic sound that are associated with the densest and darkest members of our universe: black holes.
May 17, 2025
European Space Agency head calls on Europe to boost space spending as America eyes space budget cut
Josef Aschbacher lauded the ESA for achieving leadership roles in some space fields despite less being spent on it compared to the U.S. and China.
May 17, 2025
Misidentified near-Earth object now linked to Elon Musk after closer examination
An object initially labeled asteroid 2018 CN41 was swiftly identified as SpaceX's 2018 Tesla Roadster, orbiting the sun since 2018.
May 16, 2025
NASA’s James Webb captures auroras on Jupiter that glow hundreds of times brighter than those on Earth
New images from the James Webb Telescope's near-infrared camera reveal Jupiter's auroras to be exceptionally bright.
May 16, 2025
Elon Musk sets final date for Starship's ninth test flight in Texas, promises Mars update
Musk has announced that he will detail SpaceX's Mars plan before the launch of the Starship flight in Starbase.
May 16, 2025