Space

NASA's TESS Spacecraft Begins Hunting Exoplanets

The satellite is continuing the mission of the Kepler spacecraft, which found more than 2,000 new exoplanets.

NASA's TESS Spacecraft Begins Hunting Exoplanets
NASA
SMS

NASA's new planet hunting satellite is getting to work.

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, TESS for short, began searching the stars for signs of exoplanets Wednesday.

The satellite is continuing the mission of the Kepler spacecraft, which found more than 2,000 new exoplanets. 

Unlike Kepler, TESS will focus on closer, brighter stars, which means scientists will be able to learn a lot more about the exoplanets the satellite detects.

TESS launched back in April and sent back its first image, a test, in May. The satellite's mission will last for 2 years. It's expected to find more than 1,500 exoplanet candidates.