The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will discover thousands of exoplanets in orbit around the brightest stars in the sky. This first-ever spaceborne all-sky transit survey will identify planets ranging from Earth-sized to gas giants. TESS stars will be far brighter than those surveyed by previous missions; thus, TESS planets will be easier to characterize in follow-up observations. For the first time it will be possible to study the masses, sizes, densities, orbits, and atmospheres of a large cohort of small planets, including a sample of rocky worlds in the habitable zones of their host stars.Ames Research Center (NNG09FD65C)United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NNX08BA61A)United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NNG12FG09C)United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NNG14FC03C)Goddard Space Flight Center