Astrophysics

TESS

Active

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Image: Orbital ATK / NASA · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Launched: 18 Apr 201822:51:30 UTC
Active for: 8 years 6 months
Destinations: High Earth orbit

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, which watches the brightest nearby stars for planets crossing in front of them. It has found thousands of candidate planets across almost the whole sky.

Milestones

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20192020202120222023202420252026Today

Spacecraft

TESS

Telescope

Active

Small satellite with four wide-field cameras, in a stretched orbit that takes it around the Earth twice for every orbit of the Moon.

Launch mass: 362 kg
Dry mass: 317 kg
Size: 1.5 m × 1.2 m, span 3.7 m
Power: Solar
Built by: Orbital ATK
Designator: 2018-038A

Mission details from science.nasa.gov.