How This New Probe Will Hunt for 'Alien' Earths

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite will find whole new worlds at the right distances for us to spot signs of life.

This evening, NASA’s next planet hunter took to the skies aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. After a two-day launch delay caused by issues with the rocket’s onboard guidance and navigation control systems, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, or TESS, successfully blasted off.

“LIFTOFF! Our @NASA_TESS spacecraft has left the launch pad at 6:51pm ET to search for unknown worlds beyond our solar system! Watch #TESS live,” NASA announced on Twitter. About 10 minutes later, the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket landed back on Earth, touching down on a drone ship off the Florida coast.

Barring any malfunctions, the TESS spacecraft will now settle into orbit and begin searching

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