Space News Update - October 24, In the News Story 1: Story 1: Chinese probe launched on round-trip flight to the moon Story 2: Story 2: Organic Molecules in Titan's Atmosphere Are Intriguingly Skewed Story 3: Story 3: Assembly Complete for NASA’s Maiden Orion Spacecraft Launching in December 2014 Departments The Night Sky ISS Sighting Opportunities Space Calendar NASA-TV Highlights Food for Thought Space Image of the Week

Chinese probe launched on round-trip flight to the moon

Organic Molecules in Titan's Atmosphere Are Intriguingly Skewed

Assembly Complete for NASA’s Maiden Orion Spacecraft Launching in December 2014

The Night Sky Sky & Telescope Friday, October 24 As the stars come out, Deneb is nearly straight overhead for skywatchers at mid-northern latitudes. Brighter Vega is west of the zenith. Altair is farther from the zenith toward the south. Saturday, October 25 A half hour after sunset, spot the thin waxing crescent Moon very low in the west-southwest. Look to its lower right to see whether you can still detect Saturn, which has been sinking lower every day. Binoculars help. Sunday, October 26 As autumn proceeds, the Great Square of Pegasus shines ever higher in the east at nightfall. It's still balancing on one corner. Later in the night and the season, it turns to rest upright very high when you face south. Monday, October 27 Spot Mars to the left of the waxing crescent Moon at nightfall, as shown here. Tuesday, October 28 This evening Mars is below the Moon at nightfall, as shown above.

ISS Sighting Opportunities Sighting information for other cities can be found at NASA’s Satellite Sighting InformationSatellite Sighting Information ISS For Denver: DateVisibleMax HeightAppearsDisappears Fri Oct 24, 7:12 PM4 min46°10 above NW31 above E Sat Oct 25, 6:27 PM1 min21°21 above ENE11 above E Sat Oct 25, 8:01 PM1 min33°22 above W33 above SW Sun Oct 26, 7:11 PM5 min63°15 above WNW13 above SE Mon Oct 27, 6:25 PM2 min48°48 above ESE11 above ESE Mon Oct 27, 8:00 PM2 min12°11 above WSW10 above SSW Tue Oct 28, 7:11 PM3 min21°21 above SW10 above S

NASA-TV Highlights 9:30 a.m., Saturday, October 25 - Release of the SpaceX/Dragon CRS-4 Cargo Craft from the ISS (all channels) 1 p.m., Sunday, October 26 - Orbital CRS-3 Prelaunch News Conference (all channels) 2 p.m., Sunday, October 26 - Orbital CRS-3 Mission Science Cargo Overview Briefing (all channels) 1:30 a.m., Monday, October 27 - Coverage of the ISS Progress 56 Cargo Ship Undocking from the ISS (all channels) 10 a.m., Monday, October 27 - Live coverage of Destination Station: ISS Technology Forum (all channels) 5:15 p.m., Monday, October 27 - Video B-Roll of Orbital Sciences/Cygnus CRS-3 Processing (all channels) 5:45 p.m., Monday, October 27 - Coverage of the Launch of Orbital Sciences’ Antares Rocket and the Cygnus Cargo Ship to the ISS (all channels) 8:15 p.m., Monday, October 27 - Orbital Sciences/Cygnus CRS-3 Post-Launch News Conference – WFF (all channels) 12:25 p.m., Tuesday, October 28 - ISS Expedition 41 In-Flight interviews for NASA Flight Engineer Barry Wilmore with Nashville, TN Public Radio and WCYB-TV, Tri-Cities TV (all channels) Watch NASA TV online by going to the NASA websiteNASA website (all times Eastern Daylight Time)

Space Calendar JPL Space Calendar Oct 24 - [Oct 17] Chang'e 5 CZ-3Z Launch (China Moon Orbiter)Chang'e 5 Oct 24 - [Oct 22] Cassini, Titan FlybyCassiniTitan Flyby Oct 24 - Meridian 7 Soyuz 2-1A-Fregat LaunchMeridian 7 Oct 24 - MESSENGER, Orbital Change ManeuverMESSENGEROrbital Change Maneuver Oct 24 - Comet C/2014 S3 (PANSTARRS) At Opposition (1.235 AU)Comet C/2014 S3 (PANSTARRS) Oct 24 - Comet 81P/Wild At Opposition (3.480 AU)Comet 81P/WildAt Opposition Oct 24 - Asteroid Donald Duck Closest Approach To Earth (1.448 AU)Asteroid Donald Duck Oct 24 - [Oct 18] Wilhelm Weber's 210th Birthday (1804)Wilhelm Weber's Oct 25 - [Oct 23] Dragon CRS-4 Return To Earth (International Space Station)Dragon CRS-4 Return To Earth Oct 25 - Moon Occults SaturnMoon Occults Saturn Oct 25 - Comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring) Perihelion (1.399 AU)Comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring)Perihelion Oct 25 - Comet 125P/Spacewatch At Opposition (3.210 AU)Comet 125P/SpacewatchAt Opposition Oct 25 - Comet P/2005 JN (Spacewatch) At Opposition (3.660 AU)Comet P/2005 JN (Spacewatch)At Opposition Oct 25 - Comet C/2013 U2 (Holvorcem) Perihelion (5.118 AU)Comet C/2013 U2 (Holvorcem)Perihelion Oct 25 - [Oct 24] Asteroid 2014 UF8 Near-Earth Flyby (0.046 AU)Asteroid 2014 UF8Near-Earth Flyby Oct 25 - Asteroid 7042 Carver Closest Approach To Earth (1.799 AU)Asteroid 7042 Carver Oct 25 - Plutino (1999 TC36) At Opposition ( AU)Plutino (1999 TC36)At Opposition Oct 25 - Kuiper Belt Object (1992 QB1) At Opposition ( AU)Kuiper Belt Object (1992 QB1) At Opposition Oct 25 - Jasper Dark Sky Festival 2014, Jasper, CanadaJasper Dark Sky Festival 2014 Oct 25 - Lost Dutchman State Park Star Party, Apache Junction, ArizonaLost Dutchman State Park Star Party Oct 25 - [Oct 19] Heinrich Schwabe's 225th Birthday (1789)Heinrich Schwabe's Oct Solar Eclipse Conference 2014, Cloudcroft, New MexicoSolar Eclipse Conference 2014 Oct 26 - European Summer Time Ends - Set Clock Back 1 Hour (European Union)European Summer Time Oct 26 - Comet 234P/LINEAR At Opposition (3.513 AU)Comet 234P/LINEARAt Opposition Oct 26 - Asteroid 634 Ute Occults HIP (6.8 Magnitude Star)Asteroid 634 Ute Occults HIP Oct 26 - Asteroid 1221 Amor Closest Approach To Earth (2.064 AU)Asteroid 1221 AmorClosest Approach To Earth Oct th Anniversary (2004), Cassini, 1st Targeted Titan FlybyCassini Oct 27 - [Oct 23] Cygnus CRS Orb-3/ Flock-1d 1-26/ Arkyd-3/ RACE Antares-130 Launch (International Space Station)Cygnus CRS Orb-3Flock-1d 1-26Arkyd-3RACEAntares-130 Launch Oct 27 - Cassini, Orbital Trim Maneuver #395 (OTM-395)Cassini Oct 27 - Asteroid 2009 TD8 Near-Earth Flyby (0.027 AU)Asteroid 2009 TD8Near-Earth Flyby Oct 27 - Kuiper Belt Object (2001 UR163) At Opposition ( AU)Kuiper Belt Object (2001 UR163)At Opposition Oct 28 - Comet P/2014 M4 (PANSTARRS) Closest Approach To Earth (1.422 AU)Comet P/2014 M4 (PANSTARRS)Closest Approach To Earth Oct 28 - Comet P/2009 WX51 (Catalina) Closest Approach To Earth (2.021 AU)Comet P/2009 WX51 (Catalina)Closest Approach To Earth Oct 28 - Asteroid 2355 Nei Monggol Occults HIP (6.4 Magnitude Star)Asteroid 2355 Nei Monggol Occults HIP Oct 28 - [Oct 21] Asteroid 2014 UG5 Near-Earth Flyby (0.074 AU)Asteroid 2014 UG5Near-Earth Flyby Oct 28 - Asteroid Dudleymoore Closest Approach To Earth (1.553 AU)Asteroid Dudleymoore Oct th Anniversary (1974), Luna 23 Launch (USSR Moon Lander)Luna 23

Food for Thought Lockheed Martin's fusion goals meet skepticism

Space Image of the Week This Is the Very First Photo of Earth From Space