Communication rule
TESS public pages should help people understand science and readiness. They should not sound like an official emergency broadcast unless authorized agencies have issued official instructions.
Public Guide 04
Emergency Communication Policy
The TESS communication policy is simple: verify first, cite sources, speak calmly, and clearly separate education dashboards from official emergency instructions.
Public safety boundary
If a real emergency exists, people should follow local emergency management, national warning systems, NASA/JPL, and other authorized agencies. TESS should point people there.
Practical workflow
Verify
Confirm information against authoritative sources and timestamps.
Cite
Provide source links when possible so visitors can check the original data.
Use plain language
Explain uncertainty, probability, and context without sensational phrasing.
Separate roles
Label TESS content as education or mission support, not official orders.
Update or retract
Correct stale or wrong information quickly and visibly.
Escalate appropriately
Direct users to official agencies for emergency instructions.
Approved tone
- Calm, factual, sourced, and practical.
- Clear about uncertainty.
- Focused on what visitors can do next.
Avoided tone
- Panic language or dramatic countdown claims.
- Unsourced social-media rumors.
- Statements implying TESS is the official emergency authority.
Authoritative sources
Use official sources first. TESS pages are public education and mission-support summaries, not official emergency orders.