Tag: planethunting

19 MAY

NASA’s planet-hunting TESS spacecraft snaps its first photo

TESS, NASA’s new exoplanet-hunting spacecraft, has captured its first image ever, giving us a glimpse of what its powerful “eyes” can see. The spacecraft’s science team used one of its four cameras to snap a two-second test exposure as part of their preparations now that TESS is only a month away from officially starting its […]

16 APR

SpaceX is about to launch NASA’s revolutionary planet-hunting telescope — here’s how and when to watch it live

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center NASA’s new planet-hunting telescope is scheduled to launch Monday aboard a SpaceX rocket. The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) may find thousands of worlds relatively close to Earth. Scientists hope to discover about 50 small, rocky planets that may be habitable to alien life. SpaceX and NASA TV will broadcast […]

19 MAR

NASA’s planet-hunting Kepler telescope is running out of fuel

NASA’S Kepler telescope is running out of fuel and will shut down within several months, according to the agency. The groundbreaking space observatory has discovered more than 2,300 planets. After nine years in flight around Earth’s orbit, the telescope has defied the limits of the original mission plan and survived every mechanical malfunction, beaming back […]