NASA launch exoplanet seeking satellite

NASA's new spacecraft, the Transitioning Exoplanet Survey Satellite, will search for exoplanets outside our solar system. It uses the transit method, detecting planets that pass in front of stars, causing a dip in brightness. This mission will cover an area 400 times greater than the Kepler Space Telescope, examining 26 different sectors over two years.

What is the primary goal of NASA's new spacecraft?

• To search for exoplanets outside our solar system

• To map the stars in the Milky Way

• To study the atmosphere of Jupiter

• To explore the surface of Mars

How does the spacecraft detect exoplanets?

• By capturing images of planets with a high-resolution camera

• By detecting a dip in a star's brightness when a planet transits in front of it

• By observing the heat signature of planets

• By measuring the gravitational pull of planets

What might repeated patterns of brightness dips indicate?

• A star is dying

• A habitable planet supporting life

• A comet passing by

• A black hole nearby

How much larger is the area covered by this mission compared to the Kepler Space Telescope?

• 300 times larger

• 200 times larger

• 400 times larger

• 100 times larger

Over how many sectors of space will the mission look during its two-year duration?

• 10 sectors

• 26 sectors

• 50 sectors

• 100 sectors