Michael Behar

Based in Boulder, Colorado, Michael Behar (michaelbehar.com) writes about aerospace, adventure travel, science, and the environment.

Technicians at Northrop Grumman in Dulles, Virginia rehearse the delicate procedure by which MEV-1, their satellite tug, will dock with IS-901, a 19-year-old satellite in need of renewal.

This Satellite Tow Truck Could Be the Start of a Multibillion-Dollar Business

New spacecraft will refuel, refurbish, and relocate satellites in orbit—maybe even wash the windshields.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command, a stalwart of the cold war, celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.

The Secret World of NORAD

Inside its granite fortress, the agency that has protected North America for 60 years still stands guard.

Taking on the world’s longest paramotor race requires practice—here, above the Glemis Dunes in southern California—although novices are welcome to enter.

The Icarus Race: Into the Wild With a Fan on Your Back

Paramotor competitors cross 1,000 miles of mountains and desert, in search of freedom, adventure, and a trophy.

How can we ensure drones don’t collide with airliners? NASA and the FAA are working to find the best collision avoidance systems for UAVs in the United States, soon to number in the millions.

Drones in a Busy Sky

Can technology protect airplanes from the new threat?

At Long Last, New FAA Rules for Drones

Commercial operators won’t need a pilot’s license after all.

Former astronaut Jim Voss came out of retirement to help lead the underdog effort.

The Other Guys

NASA needs a space taxi. The likely pick is SpaceX—but don’t count out Colorado-based Sierra Nevada.

When a Super Cub ran out of fuel and had to land on uninhabited Kayak lsland in Alaska in May 2011, the pilot and passenger tried both low- and high-tech alerts. In addition to the “SOS,” they activated a SPOT beacon, and were rescued by the Coast Guard.

How to Find a Missing Airplane

Airplanes can vanish without a trace. Why is effective tracking technology being ignored?

Robert Hyman helped search for fellow adventurer Steve Fossett. The undertaking inspired him and other Fossett searchers to create MAST.

Cold Case

A new team sets out to solve old disappearances.

Over its 35-year career, the F-15C (here on a training mission over the Pacific Ocean) remains the air combat champ, with 104 victories and no losses.

The Last Gunslinger

The F-15C is the only dedicated dogfighter left in the U.S. military fleet. Why isn't the Air Force replacing it?

Tough under pressure: Space station flight director Mark Ferring at his console during last year's STS-114 mission.

The Ground

Astronauts get the glory, but flight directors run the show.

Robonaut was designed to work outside the space station so that astronauts wouldn't have to. Despite its sophistication, its only work to date has been in the lab.

Robo Repairmen

It's getting harder to find good help these days. So these space engineers built their own

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