x
Breaking News
More () »

Take 2 for launch of NASA planet-hunting spacecraft

NASA's newest planet-hunting spacecraft is back on the pad for another shot at launch.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket set to launch NASA's TESS spacecraft stands at Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. (Photo: NASA)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A SpaceX Falcon rocket is set to blast off with the Tess satellite Wednesday evening from Cape Canaveral, Florida. SpaceX halted Monday's countdown for extra rocket checks.

Once in orbit, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, or Tess , will peer at hundreds of thousands of bright neighboring stars, seeking planets that might support life.

Scientists expect Tess to identify thousands of planets in our cosmic backyard, adding to the bounty provided over the past decade by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope.

The planets discovered by Kepler are too distant and too faint for practical study. But those found by Tess should be close enough for mega telescopes in the future to detect any atmospheric signs of life.

Before You Leave, Check This Out