Jackie Wattles - Writer, CNN Space & Science
Jackie Wattles
Writer, CNN Space & Science
Jackie Wattles is a writer for CNN Space & Science, covering all things related to outer space and humanity's renewed push to explore deep space. She specializes in coverage of commercial companies involved in the spaceflight industry as the world of rockets, satellites and space travel becomes increasingly privatized.
Latest
Boeing and NASA decide to move forward with historic crewed launch of new spacecraft
Apr 26, 2024
The long-awaited Starliner mission is on track to carry two NASA astronauts — Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore — to the International Space Station.
NASA says it expected space station garbage to burn up. The debris smashed into a Florida home instead
Apr 24, 2024
A piece of trash intentionally jettisoned from the International Space Station struck a home in Naples, Florida, according to the federal agency.
5 ways the Columbia disaster changed spaceflight forever
Apr 13, 2024
The 2003 Columbia disaster forever changed NASA’s approach to risk. Here are some key ways that the tragedy shaped modern rocketry.
The space shuttle was revolutionary for its time. What went wrong?
Apr 12, 2024
The shuttle program was marked by triumphs and failures, including the 2003 Columbia disaster. The tragedies left a lasting mark on the perception of risks in space.
Total solar eclipse: Where and when it was most visible
Apr 8, 2024
A total solar eclipse created a celestial spectacle Monday in the skies over parts of Mexico, the United States and Canada after a nearly seven-year wait.
•Video
1:44
Bill Nye explains what to expect during the total solar eclipse
1:44
Apr 7, 2024
Science educator Bill Nye breaks down the sights and sounds we can expect to experience during the total solar eclipse that will darken skies for millions across North America.
New calculations have raised concerns popular eclipse maps might be off. Here’s what scientists say
Apr 6, 2024
Maps outlining the solar eclipse’s path of totality may not be exact — and no one can be certain. NASA advises moving as close to the path’s center as possible.
An Everest-size volcano hiding in plain sight on Mars? New research make waves in the science community
Mar 29, 2024
A massive volcano may be hiding in plain sight on Mars, according to a report from two researchers that’s making waves in the planetary science community.
•Live Updates
Live Updates
SpaceX launches Starship rocket on third test flight
Mar 16, 2024
The massive Starship rocket from Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched for the third time Thursday. It achieved multiple milestones before likely breaking apart.
SpaceX’s Starship reaches new heights in monumental test flight but lost on reentry
Mar 14, 2024
Starship, the most powerful rocket ever constructed, achieved multiple milestones during its third test flight before likely breaking apart.
SpaceX gets green light for third Starship test flight
Mar 13, 2024
SpaceX is once again set to launch its massive Starship rocket — the most powerful launch vehicle ever constructed — on a third test flight.
New images share unprecedented view of how Odysseus spacecraft landed on the moon
Feb 28, 2024
Remarkable new images from the Odysseus mission capture the spacecraft — the first US-made vehicle to make a soft touchdown on the moon in five decades — in the moments directly after its harrowing and historic touchdown on the lunar surface.
Odysseus lunar lander shares new photos from its harrowing descent
Feb 26, 2024
The Odysseus spacecraft has dispatched new images it captured of the lunar surface during the lander’s approach to the moon.
The Odysseus lunar lander is sideways on the moon, company that built it says
Feb 26, 2024
The Odysseus lunar lander made a momentous touchdown on the moon. But it appears to be tipped on its side, Intuitive Machines revealed Friday.
About
Jackie Wattles is a writer for CNN Space & Science, covering all things related to outer space and humanity’s renewed push to explore deep space. She specializes in coverage of commercial companies involved in the spaceflight industry as the world of rockets, satellites and space travel becomes increasingly privatized.
Previously, Wattles covered the space industry under the CNN Business team, which she first joined in 2015 as a breaking news and general assignment writer.
She was born and raised in the Austin, Texas area. She graduated with honors from the University of Connecticut, where she was a scholarship volleyball athlete and an editor for the campus newspaper, before attending the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
