TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite)

Launched NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) from Cape Canaveral into a highly elliptical orbit en route to its final lunar-resonant science orbit; TESS surveys over 200,000 stars for exoplanet transits. The first stage landed on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You.

Outcome

Success

Orbit

HEO

Highly elliptical orbit

Payload to orbit

362 kg

Flight

9th

of 12 Falcon 9 Block 4 flights

Date and time

18 April 2018, 22:51 UTC

Rocket

Falcon 9 Block 4

Builder

SpaceX

Launch site

Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Payload

Astrophysics

International designator

2018-038

Launches in 2018

38th of 114

See it in orbit

Space Atlas shows the satellites and rocket stages from this launch in 3D.

Object pages on Space Atlas: TESS

View satellites in Space Atlas↗