Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission

Santhosh Kumar 05/02/2024
0 Comments
Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission mind map Recent News Super-Earth in habitable zone Earth-sized planet with 'Lava Hemisphere' Synchronized dance of a 6-planet system Large, gaseous planet in unexpected orbit Over 5,500 exoplanets discovered Water vapor in WASP-18 b's atmosphere Planets observed by Kepler in final days Rocky, Earth-sized planet with two-day orbit When Launched in April 2018 Five-year anniversary in April 2023 Second extended mission began September 2022 5,000 exoplanet candidates milestone December 2021 Why To identify transiting exoplanets Focus on bright, nearby stars Study G- and K-type stars Enhance understanding of exoplanets What All-sky survey Targets approximately 200,000 stars Special focus on 1,000 closest red dwarfs Predicts thousands of new exoplanets Expects to find rocky planets in habitable zones Instruments Four wide-angle telescopes CCD detectors, 192 megapixels total Data Monthly data transmission Public availability Where Space-based observatory Observes stars in Milky Way Who Led by MIT and Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian Principal Investigator: Dr. G. Ricker Collaborators: MIT, Orbital, NASA Goddard, NASA Ames International TESS Science Team How Monitors stars for brightness drops 27-day continuous observation per sector Overlapping sectors for extended coverage Uses full-frame images for sky survey Significance Enhanced understanding of exoplanets Large dataset for future research Identifies planets of all sizes Contributions to astronomy and astrophysics Challenges Challenges in data analysis Limitations in detecting very small or distant planets Way Forward Ongoing data analysis and research Collaboration with other missions like JWST Public engagement in exoplanet discovery

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission, an initiative led by NASA in collaboration with MIT and other organizations, is focused on discovering new exoplanets. Launched in April 2018, TESS employs an all-sky survey method, targeting approximately 200,000 bright, nearby stars, including 1,000 closest red dwarfs. The mission aims to find transiting exoplanets around these stars, focusing particularly on G- and K-type stars. Using four wide-angle telescopes and CCD detectors, TESS monitors these stars for temporary drops in brightness caused by planetary transits. Over its course, TESS has made significant discoveries, including over 5,500 exoplanets, some in habitable zones, and others exhibiting unique characteristics like ‘Lava Hemispheres’. The mission has also celebrated milestones like its fifth anniversary and the commencement of its second extended mission. TESS’s contributions are vital in understanding the diversity and nature of exoplanetary systems, enhancing our knowledge of the universe.

Related Posts

Categories: Space
Tags: ,
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Report

Harassment or bullying behavior
Contains mature or sensitive content
Contains misleading or false information
Contains abusive or derogatory content
Contains spam, fake content or potential malware

Block Member?

Please confirm you want to block this member.

You will no longer be able to:

  • See blocked member's posts
  • Mention this member in posts

Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete.

Report

You have already reported this .
X
Home Courses Plans Account