A spacecraft designed to test re-entry techniques for a future lunar-sample return mission lifted off from the Xichang launch facility on a Long March 3C on Oct. 23 (Oct. 24 local time) on a week-long mission that will take it around the Moon. Citing a spokesman for the China National Space Administration, China Daily’s English-language edition said the testbed will return to Earth after a swing around the Moon to test a “skip” re-entry technique pioneered by the Soviet Union to bleed off velocity before a parachute touchdown in the Gobi Desert.

Watch video from the Hubble Space Telescope of Mars and the Siding Spring comet passing each other on Oct. 19.

"I can see Cairo," reported spacewalking NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman. "I can't quite make out the pyramids."

"You should see my view, right now," teased European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst

Ten years ago the world’s first privately built spaceship was flown to sub-orbit high over California, clinching the $10 million Ansari X-Prize and marking the start of the new frontier of affordable space access.

Sierra Nevada is taking advantage of the 65th International Astronautical Congress to push its Dream Chaser lifting-body spaceplane to offshore customers, now that NASA has rejected its bid to fly crews to the International Space Station.

Frank Morring took these photos on the floor of this year's IAC in Toronto.

"We're monitoring the solar arrays, but the power seems to be fine." Mission Control Moscow informed Soyuz commander Alexander Samokytyaev, cosmonaut Elena Serova and NASA astronaut Barry "Butch" Wilmore.