National Aeronautics and Space Administration Wiki
Don't have an account?
Register
Register
in: Pages with non-numeric formatnum arguments, Pages with reference errors, 2017 in spaceflight,
and 7 more

Changes: Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite

Back to page
Edit
Im>Modest Genius
(→‎Scientific objectives: well yes, they could, but in the absence of any approved observing time this is just pointless speculation that adds nothing useful. rm.)
(→‎External links: Remove some templates and interwiki links, delink non NASA terms and cleanup, replaced: ==References== {{Reflist|30em}} ==Further reading== * {{cite journal |title=Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite |journal=Journal of Ast...)
Tag: apiedit
 
(2 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 7: Line 7:
   
 
| mission_type = [[Space observatory]]
  
| mission_type = [[Space observatory]]
−
| operator = [[NASA]]{{\}}[[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]]
 +
| operator = [[NASA]]{{\}}MIT
 
| COSPAR_ID = <!--e.g. 1998-067A-->
  
| COSPAR_ID = <!--e.g. 1998-067A-->
 
| SATCAT = <!--e.g. 25544-->
  
| SATCAT = <!--e.g. 25544-->
Line 21: Line 21:
 
| power = 400 watts
  
| power = 400 watts
   
−
| launch_date = December 2017<ref name=tweet-20160519>{{cite tweet |user=TESSatMIT |number=733299910376849409 |date=May 19, 2016 |title=#TESS will be launching on a @SpaceX Falcon 9. There will be 40+ Falcon launches before TESS launches in Dec 2017. #SciTeamTESS }}</ref> <!--{{start date|YYYY|MM|DD|hh|mm|ss|TZ=Z}}-->
 +
| launch_date = December 2017<ref name=tweet-20160519>{{cite tweet |user=TESSatMIT |number=733299910376849409 |date=May 19, 2016 |title=#TESS will be launching on a @SpaceX Falcon 9. There will be 40+ Falcon launches before TESS launches in Dec 2017. #SciTeamTESS}}</ref> <!--{{start date|YYYY|MM|DD|hh|mm|ss|TZ=Z}}-->
 
| launch_rocket = [[Falcon 9 full thrust]]
  
| launch_rocket = [[Falcon 9 full thrust]]
 
| launch_site = [[CCAFS|Cape Canaveral]] [[SLC-40]]
  
| launch_site = [[CCAFS|Cape Canaveral]] [[SLC-40]]
Line 57: Line 57:
 
Previous sky surveys with ground-based telescopes have mainly detected giant exoplanets. In contrast, TESS will examine a large number of small planets around the very brightest stars in the sky. TESS will record the nearest and brightest main sequence stars hosting transiting exoplanets, which are the most favorable targets for detailed investigations.<ref name="NASA-2014">{{cite web |url=http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/NASA_2015_Budget_Estimates.pdf |format=PDF |title=NASA FY 2015 President's Budget Request Summary |publisher=NASA |date=March 10, 2014}}</ref>
  
Previous sky surveys with ground-based telescopes have mainly detected giant exoplanets. In contrast, TESS will examine a large number of small planets around the very brightest stars in the sky. TESS will record the nearest and brightest main sequence stars hosting transiting exoplanets, which are the most favorable targets for detailed investigations.<ref name="NASA-2014">{{cite web |url=http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/NASA_2015_Budget_Estimates.pdf |format=PDF |title=NASA FY 2015 President's Budget Request Summary |publisher=NASA |date=March 10, 2014}}</ref>
   
−
Led by the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] with [[seed funding]] from [[Google]],<ref name="chandler-2008">{{cite web |url=http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2008/mit-aims-search-earth-planets-googles-help |title=MIT aims to search for Earth-like planets with Google's help |work=MIT News |first=David |last=Chandler |date=March 19, 2008}}</ref> TESS was one of 11 proposals selected for NASA funding in September 2011, down from the original 42 submitted in February of that year.<ref name="study">{{cite press release |url=http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/sep/HQ_11-328_Science_Proposals.html |title=NASA Selects Science Investigations For Concept Studies |publisher=NASA |first=Dwayne |last=Brown |date=September 29, 2011}}</ref> On April 5, 2013, it was announced that TESS, along with the [[Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer]] (NICER), had been selected for launch in 2017.<ref name="selection">{{cite press release |url=http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2013/apr/HQ_13-088_Astro_Explorer_Mission_.html |title=NASA Selects Explorer Investigations for Formulation |publisher=NASA |first=J. D. |last=Harrington |date=April 5, 2013}}</ref><ref name="MIT">{{cite web |url=http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2013/nasa-selects-tess-for-mission-0405 |title=NASA selects MIT-led TESS project for 2017 mission |work=MIT News |date=April 5, 2013 |accessdate=April 6, 2013}}</ref>
 +
Led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with [[seed funding]] from Google,<ref name="chandler-2008">{{cite web |url=http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2008/mit-aims-search-earth-planets-googles-help |title=MIT aims to search for Earth-like planets with Google's help |work=MIT News |first=David |last=Chandler |date=March 19, 2008}}</ref> TESS was one of 11 proposals selected for NASA funding in September 2011, down from the original 42 submitted in February of that year.<ref name="study">{{cite press release |url=http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/sep/HQ_11-328_Science_Proposals.html |title=NASA Selects Science Investigations For Concept Studies |publisher=NASA |first=Dwayne |last=Brown |date=September 29, 2011}}</ref> On April 5, 2013, it was announced that TESS, along with the [[Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer]] (NICER), had been selected for launch in 2017.<ref name="selection">{{cite press release |url=http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2013/apr/HQ_13-088_Astro_Explorer_Mission_.html |title=NASA Selects Explorer Investigations for Formulation |publisher=NASA |first=J. D. |last=Harrington |date=April 5, 2013}}</ref><ref name="MIT">{{cite web |url=http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2013/nasa-selects-tess-for-mission-0405 |title=NASA selects MIT-led TESS project for 2017 mission |work=MIT News |date=April 5, 2013 |accessdate=April 6, 2013}}</ref>
   
−
== History ==
 +
==History==
 
The genesis of TESS began as early as 2006, when a design was developed from private funding by individuals, Google, and [[Kavli Foundation (United States)|The Kavli Foundation]].<ref name="hist">{{cite web |url=http://tess.gsfc.nasa.gov/mission_history.html |title=Mission History |work=Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite |publisher=NASA |accessdate=October 23, 2015}}</ref> In 2008, MIT proposed that TESS become a full NASA mission and submitted it for the [[Small Explorer program]] at Goddard Space Flight Center,<ref name="hist" /> but it was not selected.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.nature.com/news/2009/06/no_smexlove_for_tess.html |title=No SMEX-love for TESS |work=[[Nature (journal)|Nature]] |first=Eric |last=Hand |date=June 22, 2009 |accessdate=October 23, 2015}}</ref> It was resubmitted in 2010 as an [[Explorers program]] mission, and was approved in 2013 as a Medium Explorer mission.<ref name="hist" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://explorers.gsfc.nasa.gov/midex.html |title=Medium-Class Explorers (MIDEX) Missions in Development |publisher=NASA |accessdate=October 23, 2015}}</ref>
  
The genesis of TESS began as early as 2006, when a design was developed from private funding by individuals, Google, and [[Kavli Foundation (United States)|The Kavli Foundation]].<ref name="hist">{{cite web |url=http://tess.gsfc.nasa.gov/mission_history.html |title=Mission History |work=Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite |publisher=NASA |accessdate=October 23, 2015}}</ref> In 2008, MIT proposed that TESS become a full NASA mission and submitted it for the [[Small Explorer program]] at Goddard Space Flight Center,<ref name="hist" /> but it was not selected.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.nature.com/news/2009/06/no_smexlove_for_tess.html |title=No SMEX-love for TESS |work=[[Nature (journal)|Nature]] |first=Eric |last=Hand |date=June 22, 2009 |accessdate=October 23, 2015}}</ref> It was resubmitted in 2010 as an [[Explorers program]] mission, and was approved in 2013 as a Medium Explorer mission.<ref name="hist" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://explorers.gsfc.nasa.gov/midex.html |title=Medium-Class Explorers (MIDEX) Missions in Development |publisher=NASA |accessdate=October 23, 2015}}</ref>
   
 
The transit technique has been a successful way of studying and discovering exoplanets, and when launched TESS will join a growing fleet of telescopes studying in this area.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/organizations/esa/esas-cheops-satellite-the-pharaoh-of-exoplanet-hunting/ |title=ESA's CHEOPS Satellite: The Pharaoh of Exoplanet Hunting |work=Spaceflight Insider |first=Tomasz |last=Nowakowski |date=March 18, 2015 |accessdate=October 23, 2015}}</ref>
  
The transit technique has been a successful way of studying and discovering exoplanets, and when launched TESS will join a growing fleet of telescopes studying in this area.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/organizations/esa/esas-cheops-satellite-the-pharaoh-of-exoplanet-hunting/ |title=ESA's CHEOPS Satellite: The Pharaoh of Exoplanet Hunting |work=Spaceflight Insider |first=Tomasz |last=Nowakowski |date=March 18, 2015 |accessdate=October 23, 2015}}</ref>
   
−
== Mission overview ==
 +
==Mission overview==
 
TESS is designed to carry out the first space-borne [[astronomical survey|all-sky]] [[transiting exoplanet]] survey.<ref name="selection" /><ref name="Ricker2014">{{cite conference |title=Discovering New Earths and Super-Earths in the Solar Neighborhood |conference=SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation. June 22–27, 2014. Montréal, Quebec, Canada. |first=George R. |last=Ricker |date=June 26, 2014 |doi=10.1117/2.3201407.18}}</ref> It is equipped with four wide-angle telescopes and associated [[charge-coupled device]] (CCD) detectors. Science data will be transmitted to Earth every two weeks. Full-frame images with an effective exposure time of two hours will be transmitted as well, enabling scientists to search for unexpected, transient phenomena, such as the optical counterparts to [[gamma-ray burst]]s.
  
TESS is designed to carry out the first space-borne [[astronomical survey|all-sky]] [[transiting exoplanet]] survey.<ref name="selection" /><ref name="Ricker2014">{{cite conference |title=Discovering New Earths and Super-Earths in the Solar Neighborhood |conference=SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation. June 22–27, 2014. Montréal, Quebec, Canada. |first=George R. |last=Ricker |date=June 26, 2014 |doi=10.1117/2.3201407.18}}</ref> It is equipped with four wide-angle telescopes and associated [[charge-coupled device]] (CCD) detectors. Science data will be transmitted to Earth every two weeks. Full-frame images with an effective exposure time of two hours will be transmitted as well, enabling scientists to search for unexpected, transient phenomena, such as the optical counterparts to [[gamma-ray burst]]s.
   
−
=== Orbital dynamics ===
 +
===Orbital dynamics===
 
In order to obtain unobstructed imagery of both the [[ecliptic|northern and southern hemispheres]] of the sky, TESS will utilize a 2:1 [[Moon|lunar]] [[Orbital resonance|resonant orbit]] called P/2, an orbit that has never been used before. The spacecraft's {{convert|232000|mi|km|disp=flip|abbr=on}} [[apogee]] is timed to keep the craft away from the Moon, which acts as a [[Perturbation (astronomy)|destabilizing agent]]. This highly elliptical orbit should remain stable for decades, and will keep TESS's cameras in a stable temperature range. The majority of the orbit is spent outside the [[Van Allen belts]] to avoid radiation damage to TESS. Every 13.7 days at its [[perigee]] of {{convert|67000|mi|km|disp=flip|abbr=on}}, TESS will [[downlink]] the data it has collected during the orbit to Earth over a period of approximately three hours.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/new-explorer-mission-chooses-the-just-right-orbit/ |title=New Explorer Mission Chooses the 'Just-Right' Orbit |publisher=NASA |first=Lori |last=Keesey |date=July 31, 2013}}</ref>
  
In order to obtain unobstructed imagery of both the [[ecliptic|northern and southern hemispheres]] of the sky, TESS will utilize a 2:1 [[Moon|lunar]] [[Orbital resonance|resonant orbit]] called P/2, an orbit that has never been used before. The spacecraft's {{convert|232000|mi|km|disp=flip|abbr=on}} [[apogee]] is timed to keep the craft away from the Moon, which acts as a [[Perturbation (astronomy)|destabilizing agent]]. This highly elliptical orbit should remain stable for decades, and will keep TESS's cameras in a stable temperature range. The majority of the orbit is spent outside the [[Van Allen belts]] to avoid radiation damage to TESS. Every 13.7 days at its [[perigee]] of {{convert|67000|mi|km|disp=flip|abbr=on}}, TESS will [[downlink]] the data it has collected during the orbit to Earth over a period of approximately three hours.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/new-explorer-mission-chooses-the-just-right-orbit/ |title=New Explorer Mission Chooses the 'Just-Right' Orbit |publisher=NASA |first=Lori |last=Keesey |date=July 31, 2013}}</ref>
   
−
=== Scientific objectives ===
 +
===Scientific objectives===
−
TESS's survey will focus on nearby [[G-type main-sequence star|G]]- and [[K-type main-sequence star|K]]-[[spectral type|type]] [[star]]s with [[apparent magnitude]]s brighter than magnitude 12.<ref name="seager-2011">{{cite web |url=http://seagerexoplanets.mit.edu/exoplanet.htm |title=Exoplanet Space Missions |publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology |first=Sara |last=Seager |date=2011 |accessdate=April 7, 2013}}</ref> Approximately 500,000 stars will be studied, including the 1,000 closest [[red dwarf]]s,<ref name="skytel20130530">{{cite news |url=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/exoplanets-after-kepler-whats-next/ |title=Exoplanets After Kepler: What’s next? |work=[[Sky & Telescope]] |first=Mark |last=Zastrow |date=May 30, 2013 |accessdate=December 17, 2014}}</ref> across an area of sky 400 times larger than covered by the ''[[Kepler (spacecraft)|Kepler]]'' mission.<ref name="tess-nasa-faq"/> TESS is expected to discover more than 3,000 transiting exoplanet candidates, including those which are [[terrestrial planet|Earth sized]] or [[Super-Earth|larger]].<ref name="tess-nasa-faq"/> Of those discoveries, an estimated twenty could be super-Earths located in the [[habitable zone]] around a star.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://discovermagazine.com/2015/sept/14-super-earths |title=Super-Earths Might Be Our Best Bet For Finding Alien Life |work=[[Discover (magazine)|Discover]] |first=Adam |last=Hadhazy |date=July 23, 2015 |accessdate=October 23, 2015}}</ref>
 +
TESS's survey will focus on nearby [[G-type main-sequence star|G]]- and [[K-type main-sequence star|K]]-[[spectral type|type]] stars with [[apparent magnitude]]s brighter than magnitude 12.<ref name="seager-2011">{{cite web |url=http://seagerexoplanets.mit.edu/exoplanet.htm |title=Exoplanet Space Missions |publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology |first=Sara |last=Seager |date=2011 |accessdate=April 7, 2013}}</ref> Approximately 500,000 stars will be studied, including the 1,000 closest [[red dwarf]]s,<ref name="skytel20130530">{{cite news |url=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/exoplanets-after-kepler-whats-next/ |title=Exoplanets After Kepler: What’s next? |work=[[Sky & Telescope]] |first=Mark |last=Zastrow |date=May 30, 2013 |accessdate=December 17, 2014}}</ref> across an area of sky 400 times larger than covered by the ''[[Kepler (spacecraft)|Kepler]]'' mission.<ref name="tess-nasa-faq"/> TESS is expected to discover more than 3,000 transiting exoplanet candidates, including those which are [[terrestrial planet|Earth sized]] or [[Super-Earth|larger]].<ref name="tess-nasa-faq"/> Of those discoveries, an estimated twenty could be super-Earths located in the [[habitable zone]] around a star.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://discovermagazine.com/2015/sept/14-super-earths |title=Super-Earths Might Be Our Best Bet For Finding Alien Life |work=[[Discover (magazine)|Discover]] |first=Adam |last=Hadhazy |date=July 23, 2015 |accessdate=October 23, 2015}}</ref>
   
 
The survey is broken up into 26 observation sectors, each sector being {{nowrap|24° × 96°}}, with an overlap of sectors at the ecliptic poles to allow for additional sensitivity toward smaller and longer-period exoplanets in that region of the celestial sphere. The spacecraft will spend two 13.7 day orbits observing each sector, mapping the northern hemisphere of sky in its first year of operation and the southern hemisphere in its second year. Each of TESS's cameras will take one-minute exposures focused on specifically targeted stars as part of its transit search, and 30-minute full-frame exposures to search for other transient events.<ref name="tess-nasa-faq"/>
  
The survey is broken up into 26 observation sectors, each sector being {{nowrap|24° × 96°}}, with an overlap of sectors at the ecliptic poles to allow for additional sensitivity toward smaller and longer-period exoplanets in that region of the celestial sphere. The spacecraft will spend two 13.7 day orbits observing each sector, mapping the northern hemisphere of sky in its first year of operation and the southern hemisphere in its second year. Each of TESS's cameras will take one-minute exposures focused on specifically targeted stars as part of its transit search, and 30-minute full-frame exposures to search for other transient events.<ref name="tess-nasa-faq"/>
   
−
== Spacecraft ==
 +
==Spacecraft==
 
In 2013 [[Orbital Sciences Corporation|Orbital Sciences]] received a four-year, {{USD|75 million}} contract to build TESS for NASA.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://spacenews.com/35024orbital-gets-75m-to-build-tess-exoplanet-telescope/ |title=Orbital Gets $75M To Build TESS Exoplanet Telescope |work=Space News |first=Dan |last=Leone |date=April 24, 2013 |accessdate=May 17, 2016}}</ref> TESS uses an Orbital Sciences LEOStar-2 [[satellite bus]], capable of three-axis stabilization using four [[hydrazine]] thrusters plus four [[reaction wheel]]s providing better than three [[arc-second]] fine spacecraft pointing control. Power is provided by two single-axis solar arrays generating 400 watts. A [[Ka-band]] dish antenna will provide a 100 Mbit/s science downlink.<ref name="tess-nasa-faq"/><ref name="tess-orbital-faq">{{cite web |url=http://www.orbital.com/SatelliteSpaceSystems/Publications/TESS_factsheet.pdf |title=TESS: Discovering Exoplanets Orbiting Nearby Stars |publisher=Orbital Sciences |date=2014 |accessdate=December 17, 2014 |id=FS011_13_2998}}</ref>
  
In 2013 [[Orbital Sciences Corporation|Orbital Sciences]] received a four-year, {{USD|75 million}} contract to build TESS for NASA.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://spacenews.com/35024orbital-gets-75m-to-build-tess-exoplanet-telescope/ |title=Orbital Gets $75M To Build TESS Exoplanet Telescope |work=Space News |first=Dan |last=Leone |date=April 24, 2013 |accessdate=May 17, 2016}}</ref> TESS uses an Orbital Sciences LEOStar-2 [[satellite bus]], capable of three-axis stabilization using four [[hydrazine]] thrusters plus four [[reaction wheel]]s providing better than three [[arc-second]] fine spacecraft pointing control. Power is provided by two single-axis solar arrays generating 400 watts. A [[Ka-band]] dish antenna will provide a 100 Mbit/s science downlink.<ref name="tess-nasa-faq"/><ref name="tess-orbital-faq">{{cite web |url=http://www.orbital.com/SatelliteSpaceSystems/Publications/TESS_factsheet.pdf |title=TESS: Discovering Exoplanets Orbiting Nearby Stars |publisher=Orbital Sciences |date=2014 |accessdate=December 17, 2014 |id=FS011_13_2998}}</ref>
   
−
=== Launch ===
 +
===Launch===
 
TESS will be launched in December 2017<ref name=tweet-20160519 /> on a [[SpaceX]] [[Falcon 9 FT]] rocket from the [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station]]. The total value of the contract is {{US$|87 million}}.<ref name="nasa20141216">{{cite press release |url=http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/december/nasa-awards-launch-services-contract-for-transiting-exoplanet-survey-satellite/ |title=NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite |publisher=[[NASA]] |first1=Joshua |last1=Beck |first2=George H. |last2=Diller |date=December 16, 2014 |accessdate=December 17, 2014}}</ref> SpaceX was awarded the launch in December 2014.<ref name="snews20141217">{{cite news |url=http://spacenews.com/nasa-taps-spacex-to-launch-tess-satellite |title=NASA Taps SpaceX To Launch TESS Satellite |work=SpaceNews |first=Brian |last=Berger |date=December 17, 2014 |accessdate=October 31, 2015}}</ref>
  
TESS will be launched in December 2017<ref name=tweet-20160519 /> on a [[SpaceX]] [[Falcon 9 FT]] rocket from the [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station]]. The total value of the contract is {{US$|87 million}}.<ref name="nasa20141216">{{cite press release |url=http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/december/nasa-awards-launch-services-contract-for-transiting-exoplanet-survey-satellite/ |title=NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite |publisher=[[NASA]] |first1=Joshua |last1=Beck |first2=George H. |last2=Diller |date=December 16, 2014 |accessdate=December 17, 2014}}</ref> SpaceX was awarded the launch in December 2014.<ref name="snews20141217">{{cite news |url=http://spacenews.com/nasa-taps-spacex-to-launch-tess-satellite |title=NASA Taps SpaceX To Launch TESS Satellite |work=SpaceNews |first=Brian |last=Berger |date=December 17, 2014 |accessdate=October 31, 2015}}</ref>
   
−
=== Science instrument ===
 +
===Science instrument===
 
The sole instrument on TESS is a package of four wide-field-of-view CCD cameras. Each camera features a low-noise, low-power 16.8 megapixel CCD detector created by the [[MIT Lincoln Laboratory]]. Each has a {{nowrap|24° × 24°}} [[field of view]], a {{convert|100|mm|0|abbr=on}} effective [[entrance pupil|pupil diameter]], a lens assembly with seven optical elements, and a [[band-pass filter|bandpass]] range of {{nowrap|600 to 1000 nm}}.<ref name="tess-nasa-faq">{{cite web |url=http://tess.gsfc.nasa.gov/documents/TESS_FactSheet_Oct2014.pdf |title=TESS: Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite |publisher=NASA |date=October 2014 |accessdate=December 17, 2014 |id=FS-2014-1-120-GSFC}}</ref>
  
The sole instrument on TESS is a package of four wide-field-of-view CCD cameras. Each camera features a low-noise, low-power 16.8 megapixel CCD detector created by the [[MIT Lincoln Laboratory]]. Each has a {{nowrap|24° × 24°}} [[field of view]], a {{convert|100|mm|0|abbr=on}} effective [[entrance pupil|pupil diameter]], a lens assembly with seven optical elements, and a [[band-pass filter|bandpass]] range of {{nowrap|600 to 1000 nm}}.<ref name="tess-nasa-faq">{{cite web |url=http://tess.gsfc.nasa.gov/documents/TESS_FactSheet_Oct2014.pdf |title=TESS: Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite |publisher=NASA |date=October 2014 |accessdate=December 17, 2014 |id=FS-2014-1-120-GSFC}}</ref>
   
−
== Stable light source for tests ==
 +
==Stable light source for tests==
 
One of the issues facing the development of this type of instrument is having an ultra-stable light source to test on. In 2015, a group at the University of Geneva made a breakthrough in the development of a stable light source. While this instrument was created to support ESA's [[CHEOPS]] exoplanet observatory, one was also ordered by the TESS program.<ref name="optics20151001">{{cite news |url=http://optics.org/news/6/9/50 |title=Swiss group develops 'most stable light source' for satellite tests |work=Optics.org |first=Matthew |last=Peach |date=October 1, 2015 |accessdate=October 23, 2015}}</ref> Although both plan to look at bright nearby stars using the transit method, CHEOPS is focused on collecting more data on known exoplanets, including those found by TESS and other survey missions.<ref name="astro20150317">{{cite news |url=http://www.astrowatch.net/2015/03/esas-cheops-satellite-pharaoh-of.html |title=ESA's CHEOPS Satellite: The Pharaoh of Exoplanet Hunting |work=Astro Watch |first=Tomasz |last=Nowakowski |date=March 17, 2015 |accessdate=October 29, 2015}}</ref>
  
One of the issues facing the development of this type of instrument is having an ultra-stable light source to test on. In 2015, a group at the University of Geneva made a breakthrough in the development of a stable light source. While this instrument was created to support ESA's [[CHEOPS]] exoplanet observatory, one was also ordered by the TESS program.<ref name="optics20151001">{{cite news |url=http://optics.org/news/6/9/50 |title=Swiss group develops 'most stable light source' for satellite tests |work=Optics.org |first=Matthew |last=Peach |date=October 1, 2015 |accessdate=October 23, 2015}}</ref> Although both plan to look at bright nearby stars using the transit method, CHEOPS is focused on collecting more data on known exoplanets, including those found by TESS and other survey missions.<ref name="astro20150317">{{cite news |url=http://www.astrowatch.net/2015/03/esas-cheops-satellite-pharaoh-of.html |title=ESA's CHEOPS Satellite: The Pharaoh of Exoplanet Hunting |work=Astro Watch |first=Tomasz |last=Nowakowski |date=March 17, 2015 |accessdate=October 29, 2015}}</ref>
   
−
== Asteroseismology ==
 +
==Asteroseismology==
 
The TESS team also plans to use a 30-minute observation cadence for full-frame images, which has been noted for imposing a hard [[Nyquist limit]] that can be problematic for [[asteroseismology]] of stars.<ref name="Murphy2015">{{cite journal |title=The potential for super-Nyquist asteroseismology with ''TESS'' |journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society |first=Simon J. |last=Murphy |volume=453 |issue=3 |pages=2569–2575 |date=November 2015 |doi=10.1093/mnras/stv1842 |bibcode=2015MNRAS.453.2569M |arxiv=1508.02717}}</ref> [[Kepler (spacecraft)|''Kepler'']] and [[PLATO (spacecraft)|''PLATO'']] observatories are also used for asteroseismology.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.findaphd.com/search/projectdetails.aspx?PJID=63199 |title=Asteroseismic data analysis with Kepler, K2, TESS and PLATO |work=FindaPhD.com |accessdate=October 31, 2015}}</ref>
  
The TESS team also plans to use a 30-minute observation cadence for full-frame images, which has been noted for imposing a hard [[Nyquist limit]] that can be problematic for [[asteroseismology]] of stars.<ref name="Murphy2015">{{cite journal |title=The potential for super-Nyquist asteroseismology with ''TESS'' |journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society |first=Simon J. |last=Murphy |volume=453 |issue=3 |pages=2569–2575 |date=November 2015 |doi=10.1093/mnras/stv1842 |bibcode=2015MNRAS.453.2569M |arxiv=1508.02717}}</ref> [[Kepler (spacecraft)|''Kepler'']] and [[PLATO (spacecraft)|''PLATO'']] observatories are also used for asteroseismology.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.findaphd.com/search/projectdetails.aspx?PJID=63199 |title=Asteroseismic data analysis with Kepler, K2, TESS and PLATO |work=FindaPhD.com |accessdate=October 31, 2015}}</ref>
   
−
== See also ==
 +
==See also==
 
*[[CHEOPS]], future exoplanet mission
  
*[[CHEOPS]], future exoplanet mission
 
*[[COROT]], 2006-2012 exoplanet observatory
  
*[[COROT]], 2006-2012 exoplanet observatory
Line 97: Line 97:
 
*[[Sagittarius Window Eclipsing Extrasolar Planet Search]], 2006 exoplanet survey
  
*[[Sagittarius Window Eclipsing Extrasolar Planet Search]], 2006 exoplanet survey
   
−
== References ==
 +
==References==
 
{{Reflist|30em}}
  
{{Reflist|30em}}
   
−
== Further reading ==
 +
==Further reading==
 
* {{cite journal |title=Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite |journal=Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems |first1=George R. |last1=Ricker |first2=Joshua N. |last2=Winn |first3=Roland |last3=Vanderspek |first4=David W. |last4=Latham |first5=Gáspár Á. |last5=Bakos |first6=Jacob L. |last6=Bean |first7=Zachory K. |last7=Berta-Thompson |first8=Timothy M. |last8=Brown |first9=Lars |last9=Buchhave |first10=Nathaniel R. |last10=Butler |first11=R. Paul |last11=Butler |first12=William J. |last12=Chaplin |first13=David |last13=Charbonneau |first14=Jørgen |last14=Christensen-Dalsgaard |first15=Mark |last15=Clampin |first16=Drake |last16=Deming |first17=John |last17=Doty |first18=Nathan |last18=De Lee |first19=Courtney |last19=Dressing |first20=Edward W. |last20=Dunham |first21=Michael |last21=Endl |first22=Francois |last22=Fressin |first23=Jian |last23=Ge |first24=Thomas |last24=Henning |first25=Matthew J. |last25=Holman |first26=Andrew W. |last26=Howard |first27=Shigeru |last27=Ida |first28=Jon M. |last28=Jenkins |first29=Garrett |last29=Jernigan |first30=John Asher |last30=Johnson |first31=Lisa |last31=Kaltenegger |first32=Nobuyuki |last32=Kawai |first33=Hans |last33=Kjeldsen |first34=Gregory |last34=Laughlin |first35=Alan M. |last35=Levine |first36=Douglas |last36=Lin |first37=Jack J. |last37=Lissauer |first38=Phillip |last38=MacQueen |first39=Geoffrey |last39=Marcy |first40=Peter R. |last40=McCullough |first41=Timothy D. |last41=Morton |first42=Norio |last42=Narita |first43=Martin |last43=Paegert |first44=Enric |last44=Palle |first45=Francesco |last45=Pepe |first46=Joshua |last46=Pepper |first47=Andreas |last47=Quirrenbach |first48=Stephen A. |last48=Rinehart |first49=Dimitar |last49=Sasselov |first50=Bun’ei |last50=Sato |first51=Sara |last51=Seager |first52=Alessandro |last52=Sozzetti |first53=Keivan G. |last53=Stassun |first54=Peter |last54=Sullivan |first55=Andrew |last55=Szentgyorgyi |first56=Guillermo |last56=Torres |first57=Stephane |last57=Udry |first58=Joel |last58=Villasenor |display-authors=5 |volume=1 |issue=1 |date=October 24, 2014 |doi=10.1117/1.JATIS.1.1.014003 |bibcode=2014SPIE.9143E..20R |arxiv=1406.0151}}
  
* {{cite journal |title=Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite |journal=Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems |first1=George R. |last1=Ricker |first2=Joshua N. |last2=Winn |first3=Roland |last3=Vanderspek |first4=David W. |last4=Latham |first5=Gáspár Á. |last5=Bakos |first6=Jacob L. |last6=Bean |first7=Zachory K. |last7=Berta-Thompson |first8=Timothy M. |last8=Brown |first9=Lars |last9=Buchhave |first10=Nathaniel R. |last10=Butler |first11=R. Paul |last11=Butler |first12=William J. |last12=Chaplin |first13=David |last13=Charbonneau |first14=Jørgen |last14=Christensen-Dalsgaard |first15=Mark |last15=Clampin |first16=Drake |last16=Deming |first17=John |last17=Doty |first18=Nathan |last18=De Lee |first19=Courtney |last19=Dressing |first20=Edward W. |last20=Dunham |first21=Michael |last21=Endl |first22=Francois |last22=Fressin |first23=Jian |last23=Ge |first24=Thomas |last24=Henning |first25=Matthew J. |last25=Holman |first26=Andrew W. |last26=Howard |first27=Shigeru |last27=Ida |first28=Jon M. |last28=Jenkins |first29=Garrett |last29=Jernigan |first30=John Asher |last30=Johnson |first31=Lisa |last31=Kaltenegger |first32=Nobuyuki |last32=Kawai |first33=Hans |last33=Kjeldsen |first34=Gregory |last34=Laughlin |first35=Alan M. |last35=Levine |first36=Douglas |last36=Lin |first37=Jack J. |last37=Lissauer |first38=Phillip |last38=MacQueen |first39=Geoffrey |last39=Marcy |first40=Peter R. |last40=McCullough |first41=Timothy D. |last41=Morton |first42=Norio |last42=Narita |first43=Martin |last43=Paegert |first44=Enric |last44=Palle |first45=Francesco |last45=Pepe |first46=Joshua |last46=Pepper |first47=Andreas |last47=Quirrenbach |first48=Stephen A. |last48=Rinehart |first49=Dimitar |last49=Sasselov |first50=Bun’ei |last50=Sato |first51=Sara |last51=Seager |first52=Alessandro |last52=Sozzetti |first53=Keivan G. |last53=Stassun |first54=Peter |last54=Sullivan |first55=Andrew |last55=Szentgyorgyi |first56=Guillermo |last56=Torres |first57=Stephane |last57=Udry |first58=Joel |last58=Villasenor |display-authors=5 |volume=1 |issue=1 |date=October 24, 2014 |doi=10.1117/1.JATIS.1.1.014003 |bibcode=2014SPIE.9143E..20R |arxiv=1406.0151}}
 
* {{cite journal |url=http://conference.ipac.caltech.edu/wfirs2014/talks/WFIRS2014_Stassun.pdf |title=TESS and Galactic Science |conference=WFIRST Meeting |publisher=California Institute of Technology |first=Keivan |last=Stassun |date=November 18, 2014}}
  
* {{cite journal |url=http://conference.ipac.caltech.edu/wfirs2014/talks/WFIRS2014_Stassun.pdf |title=TESS and Galactic Science |conference=WFIRST Meeting |publisher=California Institute of Technology |first=Keivan |last=Stassun |date=November 18, 2014}}
   
−
== External links ==
 +
==External links==
−
{{commons category|Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite}}
 +
{{Commons|Category:Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite}}
 
* [http://tess.gsfc.nasa.gov/ TESS website] by NASA Goddard
  
* [http://tess.gsfc.nasa.gov/ TESS website] by NASA Goddard
 
* [http://tess.mit.edu/ TESS website] by Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  
* [http://tess.mit.edu/ TESS website] by Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Line 116: Line 116:
 
{{Exoplanet}}
  
{{Exoplanet}}
 
{{Future spaceflights}}
  
{{Future spaceflights}}
  +
{{Wikipedia|Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite}}
−  
−
{{Use American English|date=January 2014}}
  
−
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2016}}
  
   
 
[[Category:2017 in spaceflight]]
  
[[Category:2017 in spaceflight]]

Latest revision as of 04:03, 19 June 2016

Template:Infobox spaceflight

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is a planned space telescope for NASA's Explorers program, designed to search for exoplanets using the transit method.

The primary mission objective for TESS is to survey the brightest stars near the Earth for transiting exoplanets over a two-year period. The TESS project will use an array of wide-field cameras to perform an all-sky survey. With TESS, it will be possible to study the mass, size, density and orbit of a large cohort of small planets, including a sample of rocky worlds in the habitable zones of their host stars. TESS will provide prime targets for further characterization by the James Webb Space Telescope, as well as other large ground-based and space-based telescopes of the future.

Previous sky surveys with ground-based telescopes have mainly detected giant exoplanets. In contrast, TESS will examine a large number of small planets around the very brightest stars in the sky. TESS will record the nearest and brightest main sequence stars hosting transiting exoplanets, which are the most favorable targets for detailed investigations.[1]

Led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with seed funding from Google,[2] TESS was one of 11 proposals selected for NASA funding in September 2011, down from the original 42 submitted in February of that year.[3] On April 5, 2013, it was announced that TESS, along with the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER), had been selected for launch in 2017.[4][5]

History[]

The genesis of TESS began as early as 2006, when a design was developed from private funding by individuals, Google, and The Kavli Foundation.[6] In 2008, MIT proposed that TESS become a full NASA mission and submitted it for the Small Explorer program at Goddard Space Flight Center,[6] but it was not selected.[7] It was resubmitted in 2010 as an Explorers program mission, and was approved in 2013 as a Medium Explorer mission.[6][8]

The transit technique has been a successful way of studying and discovering exoplanets, and when launched TESS will join a growing fleet of telescopes studying in this area.[9]

Mission overview[]

TESS is designed to carry out the first space-borne all-sky transiting exoplanet survey.[4][10] It is equipped with four wide-angle telescopes and associated charge-coupled device (CCD) detectors. Science data will be transmitted to Earth every two weeks. Full-frame images with an effective exposure time of two hours will be transmitted as well, enabling scientists to search for unexpected, transient phenomena, such as the optical counterparts to gamma-ray bursts.

Orbital dynamics[]

In order to obtain unobstructed imagery of both the northern and southern hemispheres of the sky, TESS will utilize a 2:1 lunar resonant orbit called P/2, an orbit that has never been used before. The spacecraft's Template:Convert/round km (232,000 mi) apogee is timed to keep the craft away from the Moon, which acts as a destabilizing agent. This highly elliptical orbit should remain stable for decades, and will keep TESS's cameras in a stable temperature range. The majority of the orbit is spent outside the Van Allen belts to avoid radiation damage to TESS. Every 13.7 days at its perigee of Template:Convert/round km (67,000 mi), TESS will downlink the data it has collected during the orbit to Earth over a period of approximately three hours.[11]

Scientific objectives[]

TESS's survey will focus on nearby G- and K-type stars with apparent magnitudes brighter than magnitude 12.[12] Approximately 500,000 stars will be studied, including the 1,000 closest red dwarfs,[13] across an area of sky 400 times larger than covered by the Kepler mission.[14] TESS is expected to discover more than 3,000 transiting exoplanet candidates, including those which are Earth sized or larger.[14] Of those discoveries, an estimated twenty could be super-Earths located in the habitable zone around a star.[15]

The survey is broken up into 26 observation sectors, each sector being 24° × 96°, with an overlap of sectors at the ecliptic poles to allow for additional sensitivity toward smaller and longer-period exoplanets in that region of the celestial sphere. The spacecraft will spend two 13.7 day orbits observing each sector, mapping the northern hemisphere of sky in its first year of operation and the southern hemisphere in its second year. Each of TESS's cameras will take one-minute exposures focused on specifically targeted stars as part of its transit search, and 30-minute full-frame exposures to search for other transient events.[14]

Spacecraft[]

In 2013 Orbital Sciences received a four-year, Template:USD contract to build TESS for NASA.[16] TESS uses an Orbital Sciences LEOStar-2 satellite bus, capable of three-axis stabilization using four hydrazine thrusters plus four reaction wheels providing better than three arc-second fine spacecraft pointing control. Power is provided by two single-axis solar arrays generating 400 watts. A Ka-band dish antenna will provide a 100 Mbit/s science downlink.[14][17]

Launch[]

TESS will be launched in December 2017[18] on a SpaceX Falcon 9 FT rocket from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The total value of the contract is US$87 million.[19] SpaceX was awarded the launch in December 2014.[20]

Science instrument[]

The sole instrument on TESS is a package of four wide-field-of-view CCD cameras. Each camera features a low-noise, low-power 16.8 megapixel CCD detector created by the MIT Lincoln Laboratory. Each has a 24° × 24° field of view, a 100 mm (Template:Convert/pround in) effective pupil diameter, a lens assembly with seven optical elements, and a bandpass range of 600 to 1000 nm.[14]

Stable light source for tests[]

One of the issues facing the development of this type of instrument is having an ultra-stable light source to test on. In 2015, a group at the University of Geneva made a breakthrough in the development of a stable light source. While this instrument was created to support ESA's CHEOPS exoplanet observatory, one was also ordered by the TESS program.[21] Although both plan to look at bright nearby stars using the transit method, CHEOPS is focused on collecting more data on known exoplanets, including those found by TESS and other survey missions.[22]

Asteroseismology[]

The TESS team also plans to use a 30-minute observation cadence for full-frame images, which has been noted for imposing a hard Nyquist limit that can be problematic for asteroseismology of stars.[23] Kepler and PLATO observatories are also used for asteroseismology.[24]

See also[]

  • CHEOPS, future exoplanet mission
  • COROT, 2006-2012 exoplanet observatory
  • Kepler, 2009–present exoplanet observatory
  • PLATO, 2024 exoplanet observatory
  • Sagittarius Window Eclipsing Extrasolar Planet Search, 2006 exoplanet survey

References[]

  1. ↑ "NASA FY 2015 President's Budget Request Summary" (PDF). NASA. March 10, 2014. http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/NASA_2015_Budget_Estimates.pdf. 
  2. ↑ Chandler, David (March 19, 2008). "MIT aims to search for Earth-like planets with Google's help". MIT News. http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2008/mit-aims-search-earth-planets-googles-help. 
  3. ↑ Template:Cite press release
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Template:Cite press release
  5. ↑ "NASA selects MIT-led TESS project for 2017 mission". MIT News. April 5, 2013. http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2013/nasa-selects-tess-for-mission-0405. Retrieved April 6, 2013. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Mission History". Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite. NASA. http://tess.gsfc.nasa.gov/mission_history.html. Retrieved October 23, 2015. 
  7. ↑ Hand, Eric (June 22, 2009). "No SMEX-love for TESS". Nature. http://blogs.nature.com/news/2009/06/no_smexlove_for_tess.html. Retrieved October 23, 2015. 
  8. ↑ "Medium-Class Explorers (MIDEX) Missions in Development". NASA. http://explorers.gsfc.nasa.gov/midex.html. Retrieved October 23, 2015. 
  9. ↑ Template:Cite news
  10. ↑ Template:Cite conference
  11. ↑ Keesey, Lori (July 31, 2013). "New Explorer Mission Chooses the 'Just-Right' Orbit". NASA. http://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/new-explorer-mission-chooses-the-just-right-orbit/. 
  12. ↑ Seager, Sara (2011). "Exoplanet Space Missions". Massachusetts Institute of Technology. http://seagerexoplanets.mit.edu/exoplanet.htm. Retrieved April 7, 2013. 
  13. ↑ Template:Cite news
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 "TESS: Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite". NASA. October 2014. FS-2014-1-120-GSFC. http://tess.gsfc.nasa.gov/documents/TESS_FactSheet_Oct2014.pdf. Retrieved December 17, 2014. 
  15. ↑ Template:Cite news
  16. ↑ Template:Cite news
  17. ↑ "TESS: Discovering Exoplanets Orbiting Nearby Stars". Orbital Sciences. 2014. FS011_13_2998. http://www.orbital.com/SatelliteSpaceSystems/Publications/TESS_factsheet.pdf. Retrieved December 17, 2014. 
  18. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named tweet-20160519
  19. ↑ Template:Cite press release
  20. ↑ Template:Cite news
  21. ↑ Template:Cite news
  22. ↑ Template:Cite news
  23. ↑ Template:Cite journal
  24. ↑ "Asteroseismic data analysis with Kepler, K2, TESS and PLATO". FindaPhD.com. http://www.findaphd.com/search/projectdetails.aspx?PJID=63199. Retrieved October 31, 2015. 

Further reading[]

  • Template:Cite journal
  • Template:Cite journal

External links[]

File:Commons-Logo.svg Wikimedia Commons has media related to Category:Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite.
NASA
Policy and history
History
General
NASA logo
Robotic programs
Past
Current
Human spaceflight
programs
Past
Current
Individual featured
missions
(human and robotic)
Past
Currently
operating
Future
Communications
and Navigation
NASA lists

Template:Exoplanet search projects

Explorer
MIDEX
  • 50 (IMP-8)
  • 69 (RXTE)
  • 71 (ACE)
  • 77 (FUSE)
  • 78 (IMAGE)
  • 80 (WMAP)
  • 84 (Swift)
  • 85 thru 89 (THEMIS)
  • 92 (WISE)
  • ICON‡
  • TESS‡
    • SMEX
  • 68 (SAMPEX)
  • 70 (FAST)
  • 73 (TRACE)
  • 74 (SWAS)
  • 75 (WIRE)
  • 81 (RHESSI)
  • 83 (GALEX)
  • 90 (AIM)
  • 91 (IBEX)
  • 93 (NuSTAR)
  • 94 (IRIS)
    • UNEX
  • 72 (SNOE)
  • 82 (CHIPSat)
    • MO
  • 79 (HETE-2)
  • CINDI
  • Suzaku
  • TWINS
  • Hitomi
  • GOLD‡
  • NICER‡
    • International
  • INTEGRAL
  • Italics indicates probes that failed to deploy or otherwise malfunctioned · ‡ indicate missions yet to launch.

    • Template:Space observatories

    Exoplanetology
    Main topics
    • Accretion
    • Exoplanet
    • Methods of detecting exoplanets
    • Planetary system
    Types
    Terrestrial
    • Carbon planet
    • Coreless planet
    • Desert planet
    • Dwarf planet
    • Ice planet
    • Iron planet
    • Lava planet
    • Mega-Earth
    • Ocean planet
    • Sub-Earth
    • Super-Earth
    Gaseous
  • Chthonian planet
  • Eccentric Jupiter
  • Gas dwarf
  • Helium planet
  • Hot Jupiter
  • Hot Neptune
  • Ice giant
  • Mini-Neptune
  • Super-Jupiter
    • Other types
  • Brown dwarf
  • Circumbinary planet
  • Double planet
  • Mesoplanet
  • Planemo
  • Planetesimal
  • Protoplanet
  • Pulsar planet
  • Sub-brown dwarf
  • Ultra-cool dwarf
    • Evolution
  • Merging stars
  • Nebular hypothesis
  • Planetary migration
    • Systems
  • Exocomet
  • Exomoon
  • Interstellar comet
  • Mean-motion resonances
  • Retrograde planet
  • Rogue planet
  • Titius–Bode laws
  • Trojan planet
    • Host stars
  • A
  • B
  • Binary star
  • Brown dwarfs
  • Extragalactic planet
  • F/Yellow-white dwarfs
  • G/Yellow dwarfs
  • Herbig Ae/Be
  • K/Orange dwarfs
  • M/Red dwarfs
  • Planets in globular clusters
  • Pulsar
  • Red giant
  • Subdwarf B
  • Subgiant
  • T Tauri
  • White dwarfs
  • Yellow giant
    • Detection
  • Astrometry
  • Direct imaging
    • list
  • Microlensing
    • list
  • Polarimetry
  • Pulsar timing
    • list
  • Radial velocity
    • list
  • Transit method
    • list
  • Transit-timing variation
    • Habitability
  • Circumstellar habitable zone
  • Earth analog
  • Extraterrestrial liquid water
  • Superhabitable planet
    • Catalogues
  • Catalog of Nearby Habitable Systems
  • Exoplanet Data Explorer
  • Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia
  • NASA Exoplanet Archive
  • NASA Star and Exoplanet Database
    • Lists
  • Exoplanetary systems
    • Host stars
    • Multiplanetary systems
    • Stars with proplyds
  • Exoplanets
    • List of exoplanets
    • Discoveries
    • Extremes
    • Firsts
    • Nearest
    • Largest
    • Most massive
    • Terrestrial candidates
    • Kepler
    • Potentially habitable
    • Other
  • Exoplanet phase curves
  • Nexus for Exoplanet System Science
  • Planets in science fiction
  • Sudarsky's gas giant classification
  • Discoveries of exoplanets
  • Search projects

    • Template:Future spaceflights

    This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors). Smallwikipedialogo.png
    Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.