猎鹰9火箭把362公斤卫星送到775公里高轨道释放了

 09:14 Stephen Clark

 Here's a view of TESS flying away from the Falcon 9 rocket as it separated roughly 481 miles (775 kilometers) over the Indian Ocean west of Australia.

 09:11 Stephen Clark 

 TESS separation confirmed! NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite is now flying free of its Falcon 9 launcher. The spacecraft will next deploy its power-generating solar panels as ground controllers at Orbital ATK's facility in Dulles, Virginia, oversee the satellite's activation and checkout procedures following this evening's seemingly successful launch. TESS will use its on-board engine for three orbit-raising burns over the coming weeks, setting up for a flyby near the moon May 17 to steer closer to its final observing orbit. TESS's unique science orbit, which it will reach in mid-June, will place the satellite in a 2:1 resonance with the moon, with distances ranging between 67,000 miles (108,000 kilometers) and 233,000 miles (376,000 kilometers) from Earth. TESS will survey the sky in search of planets around bright, nearby stars for at least two years, providing prime targets for follow-up, detailed observations by powerful ground-based telescopes and the James Webb Space Telescope. 

09:10 Stephen Clark 

 The rocket and TESS are now flying in range of a ground station Western Australia. 

 09:09 Stephen Clark 

 Standing by for separation of TESS from the Falcon 9 rocket. 09:06 Stephen Clark T+plus 44 minutes, 10 seconds. Second stage engine shutdown confirmed. The Falcon 9 rocket is now preparing for deployment of TESS, expected at T+plus 49 minutes, 35 seconds. 

 09:04 Stephen Clark 

 T+plus 43 minutes, 15 seconds. The second stage's Merlin engine has reignited to propel TESS into a highly elliptical, high-altitude orbit. 09:04 Stephen Clark This view of the Falcon 9 launch comes from Walter Scriptunas II, who was positioned on top of NASA's iconic Vehicle Assembly Building for liftoff.