Space News Update - March 18, In the News Story 1: Story 1: ExoMars: ESA and Roscosmos set for Mars missions Story 2: Story 2: New Curiosity 'Safe Mode' Status Expected to be Brief Story 3: Story 3: Herschel to Complete Its Mission Soon Departments The Night Sky ISS Sighting Opportunities NASA-TV Highlights Space Calendar Food for Thought Space Image of the Week

ExoMars: ESA and Roscosmos set for Mars missions

New Curiosity 'Safe Mode' Status Expected to be Brief Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Herschel to Complete Its Mission Soon

The Night Sky Monday, March 18 Look lower right of the Moon this evening for Jupiter, and upper right of the Moon for Beta Tauri (El Nath). Tuesday, March 19 First-quarter Moon (exact at 1:27 p.m. EDT). This evening the Moon shines between the feet of Gemini and the top of Orion's Club. Wednesday, March 20 Face southwest after dark. Very high there shines the Moon. Even higher (depending on where you live) are Pollux and Castor. To the Moon's left or lower left is Procyon. Spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere at the equinox, 7:02 a.m. EDT, when the Sun crosses the equators of both Earth and sky heading north for the year. In the Southern Hemisphere, fall begins. Thursday, March 21 High in the south after dusk, the Moon forms part of a big arc with Pollux and Castor to its upper right and Procyon below it. Friday, March 22 Now that spring is here, Orion is in the southwest after dark and leaning over to slide soon down to the horizon. Orion's three-star belt is turning nearly horizontal. He is framed by the two brightest starlike points in the sky: Jupiter off to his right and Sirius to his left.

ISS Sighting Opportunities Sighting information for other cities can be found at NASA’s Satellite Sighting InformationSatellite Sighting Information ISS For Denver:

NASA-TV Highlights (all times Eastern Daylight Time) March 18, Monday 3 a.m., 7 am, 8 pm - Video File of ISS Expedition 34 Post-Landing Activities - HQ (Various Channels) 11:10 a.m. - ISS Expedition 35 In-Flight News Conference- JSC (Public and Media Channels) 12 p.m. - Video File of the ISS Expedition 35/36 Crew Departure- JSC (All Channels) 1:10 p.m. - ISS Expedition 35 In-Flight Event with “30 Seconds to Mars” - JSC (All Channels) 2 p.m. - Interpreted Replay of ISS Expedition 35 In-Flight News Conference with Canadian Media - JSC(All Channels) March 19, Tuesday 9 a.m. - ISS Update - JSC (All Channels) 1:30 p.m. - ISS Expedition 36/37 Video B-Roll Footage of Training - JSC (All Channels) 2 p.m. - ISS Expedition 36/37 Crew News Conference (Yurchikhin, Parmitano, Nyberg) - JSC (All Channels) March 20, Wednesday 12:05 p.m. - ISS Mission Control Console Interview with the Digital Learning Network - JSC (All Channels) March 21, Thursday 10 a.m. - ISS Update - JSC (All Channels) 2 p.m. - Video File of the ISS Expedition 35/36 Crew Activities in Baikonur, Kazakhstan - JSC (All Channels) Watch NASA TV online by going to the NASA websiteNASA website

Space Calendar JPL Space Calendar Mar 18 - MESSENGER, End of Extended MissionMESSENGEREnd of Extended Mission Mar 18 - Comet 197P/LINEAR Closest Approach To Earth (1.180 AU)Comet 197P/LINEARClosest Approach To Earth Mar 18 - Comet C/2013 D1 (Holvorcem) At Opposition (1.498 AU)Comet C/2013 D1 (Holvorcem)At Opposition Mar 18 - Comet 163P/NEAT Closest Approach To Earth (2.257 AU)Comet 163P/NEATClosest Approach To Earth Mar 18 - [ Mar 15] Comet P/2004 T1 (LINEAR-NEAT) At Opposition (3.587 AU)Comet P/2004 T1 (LINEAR-NEAT)At Opposition Mar 18 - Asteroid 21 Lutetia Occults TYC (9.3 Magnitude Star)Asteroid 21 Lutetia Occults TYC Mar 18 - Asteroid 2007 EO88 Near-Earth Flyby (0.011 AU)Asteroid 2007 EO88Near-Earth Flyby Mar 18 - Asteroid 2013 EA Near-Earth Flyby (0.076 AU)Asteroid 2013 EANear-Earth Flyby Mar 18 - Asteroid 1224 Fantasia Closest Approach To Earth (1.704 AU)Asteroid 1224 Fantasia Mar 18 - Asteroid 6824 Mallory Closest Approach To Earth (2.539 AU)Asteroid 6824 Mallory Mar 19 -SBIRS-Geo 2 Atlas 5 LaunchSBIRS-Geo 2Atlas 5 Launch Mar 19 - Asteroid 14 Irene At Opposition (8.3 Magnitude)Asteroid 14 Irene At Opposition Mar 19 - Asteroid 4957 Brucemurray Closest Approach To Earth (1.227 AU)Asteroid 4957 BrucemurrayClosest Approach To Earth Mar 19 - Dwarf Planet Makemake At Opposition ( AU)Dwarf Planet MakemakeAt Opposition Mar 20 - Vernal Equinox, 11:02 UTVernal Equinox11:02 UT Mar 20 - Comet P/2012 B1 (PANSTARRS) At Opposition (2.898 AU)Comet P/2012 B1 (PANSTARRS)At Opposition Mar 20 - Asteroid 4 Vesta Occults 2UCAC (11.6 Magnitude Star)Asteroid 4 Vesta Occults 2UCAC Mar 20 - Asteroid 2010 SE Near-Earth Flyby (0.073 AU)Asteroid 2010 SENear-Earth Flyby Mar 20 - Asteroid (2008 EY5) Near-Earth Flyby (0.083 AU)Asteroid (2008 EY5)Near-Earth Flyby Mar 20 - Asteroid 2006 GX2 Near-Earth Flyby (0.096 AU)Asteroid 2006 GX2Near-Earth Flyby Mar 20 - Asteroid 1489 Attila Closest Approach To Earth (1.743 AU)Asteroid 1489 Attila Mar 21 - Comet 273P/Pons-Gambart Closest Approach To Earth (1.206 AU)Comet 273P/Pons-GambartClosest Approach To Earth Mar 21 - Asteroid 7462 Grenoble Closest Approach To Earth (1.244 AU)Asteroid 7462 Grenoble Mar 21 - Asteroid Ballard Closest Approach To Earth (1.773 AU)Asteroid Ballard Mar 21 - Asteroid Astrometria Closest Approach To Earth (1.912 AU)Asteroid Astrometria Mar 22 - Mars Passes 0.2 Degrees From UranusMarsUranus Mar 22 - Asteroid 253 Mathilde Occults TYC (8.4 Magnitude Star)Asteroid 253 Mathilde Occults TYC Mar 22 - Asteroid 2013 ES11 Near-Earth Flyby (0.016 AU)Asteroid 2013 ES11Near-Earth Flyby Mar 22 - [ Mar 17] Asteroid 2013 EP89 Near-Earth Flyby (0.060 AU)Asteroid 2013 EP89Near-Earth Flyby Mar 22 - Asteroid 2008 SE85 Near-Earth Flyby (0.062 AU)Asteroid 2008 SE85Near-Earth Flyby Mar 22 - Asteroid 2012 FK15 Near-Earth Flyby (0.082 AU)Asteroid 2012 FK15Near-Earth Flyby Mar 22 - Asteroid 1284 Latvia Closest Approach To Earth (1.906 AU)Asteroid 1284 Latvia Mar 22 - Asteroid 742 Edisona Closest Approach To Earth (2.387 AU)Asteroid 742 Edisona

Food for Thought Kepler Team Identifies Planet Impostors that are Binary Stars in Disguise Image Credit: Chart And Assembly, D. Majaess – Cropped Stellar Graphics from Collier Cameron 2012, Nature

Space Image of the Week James Webb Telescope Model at South by Southwest Image Credit NASA/Chris Gunn