The Kepler space telescope was a space telescope launched by NASA to discover Earth-size planets orbiting other stars. Named after astronomer Johannes Kepler, the spacecraft was launched on March 7, 2009, into an Earth-trailing heliocentric orbit.
In 2013, Kepler was assigned a new mission called “K2.” Two of the spacecraft’s reaction wheels had failed, so engineers came up with a clever scheme to redesign the mission. K2 still hunted for planets, but it scanned a larger swath of sky than before, along the ecliptic plane. The mission began new types of research as well, such as the study of objects within our solar system, exploded stars, and distant supermassive black holes at the hearts of galaxies.
After nine years in deep space collecting data that indicate our sky to be filled with billions of hidden planets – more planets even than stars – NASA’s Kepler space telescope has run out of fuel needed for further science operations. NASA has decided to retire the spacecraft within its current, safe orbit, away from Earth. Kepler leaves a legacy of more than 2,600 planet discoveries from outside our solar system, many of which could be promising places for life.
Picture Credit : Google
