Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS)

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is a NASA space mission launched in 2018, designed to discover new exoplanets—worlds orbiting stars outside our solar system. TESS achieves this by monitoring over 200,000 stars for periodic dimming, which indicates that a planet may be passing in front of them, blocking some of their light. By focusing on nearby stars, TESS aims to identify a large number of exoplanets, many of which could be in the habitable zone where conditions might support life. Its discoveries expand our understanding of the universe and the potential for life beyond Earth.