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.

Describe the process Tess will use to transmit data to scientists on the ground.

Evaluate responses using AI:

OFF

What is the significance of Tess's ability to observe nearly the entire sky?

Evaluate responses using AI:

OFF