Exoplanets – Page 3 – Spaceflight Now

NASA’s new planet-hunting satellite begins climb into science orbit

April 25, 2018 Stephen Clark

Looping back near Earth for the first time since its launch one week ago, NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite fired its thrusters early Wednesday to begin boosting its orbit toward the moon for a May 17 gravity assist maneuver that will help catapult the probe into its unique science orbit.

After “terrific” launch, TESS nears first major orbit-raising burn

April 23, 2018 Stephen Clark

NASA’s new planet-hunting TESS observatory completed its first post-launch thruster firing Saturday, setting up for a big boost Wednesday that will send the spacecraft toward the moon for a flyby next month, the next maneuvers in a two-month process to reach the mission’s final science orbit in mid-June.

Photos: Falcon 9 rocket lifts off with TESS

April 23, 2018 Stephen Clark

Look back on last week’s blastoff of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral with NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite.

Falcon 9 / TESS launch replays

April 19, 2018 Spaceflight Now

Cameras in various locations at Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center capture the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying NASA’s TESS planet-hunting telescope.

All-sky surveyor launched from Cape Canaveral on the hunt for exoplanets

April 19, 2018 Stephen Clark

NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, built to find planets around other stars that are close enough for detailed follow-ups by future telescopes, launched Wednesday into a unique high-altitude orbit on top of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral.

TESS launch replay from launch pad camera

April 18, 2018 Spaceflight Now

A launch pad camera captures the launch of the Falcon 9 and NASA’s exoplanet hunting space telescope TESS. The rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 40 on April 18.

Falcon 9 launches TESS as seen from KSC Press Site (members only)

April 18, 2018 Spaceflight Now

A Falcon 9 rocket soars skyward from Cape Canaveral carrying NASA’s TESS observatory on a mission to discover planets around other stars. This was the view from the Kennedy Space Center Press Site.

Video: Falcon 9 stands at the launch pad

April 17, 2018 Spaceflight Now

The Falcon 9 rocket stands on launch complex 40 on 16 April as SpaceX prepares to launch NASA’s TESS spacecraft on a mission to seek out new planets beyond our Solar System.

Video: Mission officials brief reporters on TESS launch

April 16, 2018 Stephen Clark

Officials from NASA, research institutions and companies involved in the development and launch of the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite briefed reporters in the mission Sunday, the day before its scheduled liftoff from Cape Canaveral.

Falcon 9 launch timeline with TESS

April 16, 2018 Stephen Clark

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket is set for liftoff from Cape Canaveral on Wednesday, heading east over the Atlantic Ocean to deliver NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite into orbit approximately 49 minutes after launch.