Samantha Masunaga

Staff Writer

Samantha Masunaga covers aerospace for the Los Angeles Times. Since joining The Times in 2014, she has covered local and national breaking news, the craft beer industry and Southern California’s Japanese American community. Masunaga has previously worked for the Oregonian, the Orange County Register and the Rafu Shimpo, among other publications. A Southern California native, she is an alumna of the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and UCLA.

Latest From This Author

Business

SpaceX seeks permission to launch 30,000 more satellites

Business

SpaceX seeks permission to launch 30,000 more satellites

The increased number of satellites could help SpaceX target more markets.
Business

Riot Games tells broadcasters to keep political issues off the air

Business

Riot Games tells broadcasters to keep political issues off the air

The move by the Chinese-owned company comes days after Blizzard punished a gamer for supporting pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
Business

Stratolaunch gets a mysterious new owner, a year after Paul Allen’s death

Business

Stratolaunch gets a mysterious new owner, a year after Paul Allen’s death

Stratolaunch said its near-term focus will be on providing rocket-powered testbeds and other flight services.
Business

SpaceX needs to put people into space. NASA’s deadline is looming

Business

SpaceX needs to put people into space. NASA’s deadline is looming

If neither SpaceX nor Boeing has its capsule ready to fly astronauts on a regular basis by September, NASA will be in a tight spot.
Business

To reach Mars, SpaceX is trying to buy up a tiny Texas community

Business

To reach Mars, SpaceX is trying to buy up a tiny Texas community

Letters sent to homeowners had offers that were “not negotiable” and good for two weeks. “Sometimes progress comes at a cost,” a county official said.
Business

Five things we learned from Elon Musk’s rollout of the SpaceX Starship prototype

Business

Five things we learned from Elon Musk’s rollout of the SpaceX Starship prototype

The Starship spaceship could reach orbit in less than six months, chief executive Elon Musk said.
Business

California gas prices will probably rise after attack on Saudi oil plant

Business

California gas prices will probably rise after attack on Saudi oil plant

Within a week or two, California gas prices could go up 10 to 25 cents a gallon — or even higher if the Saudi oil plant doesn’t regroup quickly.
Business

Space gets more crowded: ESA satellite veers to avoid hitting SpaceX satellite

Business

Space gets more crowded: ESA satellite veers to avoid hitting SpaceX satellite

Three months after Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched the first set of satellites for a large constellation, another satellite operator has had to veer to keep its spacecraft out of harm’s way.
Business

SpaceX Starhopper rocket takes a bigger hop as Elon Musk prepares for Mars

Business

SpaceX Starhopper rocket takes a bigger hop as Elon Musk prepares for Mars

A little over a month after SpaceX’s Mars spaceship prototype first flew, the Starhopper flew again. The target was 500 feet.
Business

30 years after the B-2 took flight, Northrop is applying lessons to a new stealth bomber

Business

30 years after the B-2 took flight, Northrop is applying lessons to a new stealth bomber

The Air Force’s next-gen stealth bomber is taking shape at Northrop’s Palmdale campus. The new plane will be based on the B-2 bomber, now 30 years old.