The Unique Orbit of NASA’s Newest Planet Hunter

The TESS mission, led by MIT, aims to discover thousands of new planets orbiting nearby stars. TESS will operate in a special elliptical orbit, maximizing sky coverage. After launch, it will use the moon's gravity to stabilize its orbit, allowing it to observe the sky for most of its 13.7-day orbit. TESS will transmit data to Earth, enabling the study of nearly the entire sky over two years, potentially identifying thousands of exoplanets.

What is the primary goal of the TESS mission?

• To find new planets orbiting nearby stars

• To explore the surface of Mars

• To study the sun's atmosphere

• To map the Milky Way galaxy

How does TESS maximize the amount of sky it can image?

• By orbiting the sun

• By flying in a highly elliptical orbit

• By using a wide-angle lens

• By using multiple telescopes

What assists TESS in entering a stable orbit?

• Solar panels

• A gravitational assist from the moon

• A rocket booster

• Earth's magnetic field

How is TESS's orbit related to the moon's orbit?

• TESS orbits Earth in the same time as the moon

• TESS orbits Earth in half the time it takes the moon to orbit once

• TESS and the moon have identical orbits

• TESS orbits Earth twice as fast as the moon

What is the duration of TESS's orbit around Earth?

• 13.7 days

• 30 days

• 7 days

• 365 days