2018年04月21日:TESS卫星发射的特写影像-（TESS Launch Close Up）

2018年04月21日:TESS卫星发射的特写影像-（TESS Launch Close Up）--原图下载

Image Credit &Copyright: John Kraus
说明: 美国航太总署的凌星系外行星巡天卫星（TESS）在4月18日由猎鹰九号火箭推送，从地球发射升空，开始它搜寻环绕其他恒星的行星之任务。这幅由位在卡纳维尔角空军基地．第40号发射设施的遥控相机拍摄的特写影像里，这艘系外行星搜寻器所搭乘的猎鹰九号火箭，名号之由来是影像中清楚可见的9部默林第一节火箭发动机。在接下来的数星期里，TESS卫星将起动一系列的喷射推进，以进入高度椭圆的高地球轨道。此外，经由一次月球重力协航操作，这艘卫星将抵达先前没用过、周期是月亮的一半、最远离地球373,000公里的稳定轨道。从那里，TESS卫星将进行为期二年的巡天工作，寻找天空中最亮最邻近恒星周围的行星。

原文：

Image Credit &Copyright: John Kraus
Explanation: NASA'sTransiting Exoplanet SurveySatellite (TESS) began its search for planets orbiting other stars byleaving planet Earth on April 18.The exoplanet hunterrodeto orbit on top of a Falcon 9 rocket.The Falcon 9 is sodesignated for its 9 Merlin first stage enginesseen in this sound-activated camera close-upfrom Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.In the coming weeks, TESS will use a series of thruster burnsto boost it into a high-Earth, highly elliptical orbit.A lunar gravity assist maneuver will allow it to reach a previouslyuntried stable orbit with half the orbital period of the Moon and amaximum distance from Earth of about 373,000 kilometers (232,000 miles).From there, TESSwill carry out a two year survey to search forplanets around the brightest and closest stars in the sky.