The second stage of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and the attached TESS spacecraft are in a coast phase following an on-time liftoff at 6:51 p.m. EDT. Coming up, the second-stage engine will ignite one more time at about 43 minutes into the flight. That burn, lasting only about a minute, will pave the way for TESS spacecraft separation at a mission-elapsed time of about 49 minutes.
Here’s another look at today’s launch:
