Kepler mission ends
Posted: Sun, Nov 4, 2018, 8:56 AM ET (1356 GMT)
NASA's Kepler planet-hunting spacecraft has ended operations after running out of fuel. NASA announced Tuesday that the spacecraft would no longer be able to perform science observations after exhausting the last of the hydrazine fuel used for attitude control. Final commands to decommission the spacecraft will be executed in the next week or two. The spacecraft, launched in 2009, changed astronomers' views on the abundance of planets after discovering several thousand exoplanets. Astronomers now believe planets, including small rocky worlds the size of the Earth, are commonplace around stars.
NASA's Kepler planet-hunting spacecraft has ended operations after running out of fuel. NASA announced Tuesday that the spacecraft would no longer be able to perform science observations after exhausting the last of the hydrazine fuel used for attitude control. Final commands to decommission the spacecraft will be executed in the next week or two. The spacecraft, launched in 2009, changed astronomers' views on the abundance of planets after discovering several thousand exoplanets. Astronomers now believe planets, including small rocky worlds the size of the Earth, are commonplace around stars.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Retired Air Force officer nominated to be NASA deputy administrator
Posted: Sat, May 10 9:44 AM ET (1344 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Saturday, May 17
Cash crunch worsens at UK-backed Starlink rival as Trump tears up contracts
The Daily Telegraph — 8:47 am ET (1247 GMT) Rocket Lab Successfully Launches Third Mission for iQPS in Multi-Launch Contract, Sets Schedule For the Next iQPS Mission
Rocket Lab — 8:45 am ET (1245 GMT) The space race is being reshaped by geopolitics, offering opportunities for countries such as New Zealand
The Conversation — 8:45 am ET (1245 GMT) Brush Fire Contained to 27.5 Acres at Vandenberg Space Force Base
Santa Barbara (CA) Edhat — 8:44 am ET (1244 GMT) Amid demand for satellite support, Space Force leans on commercial
Defense News — 8:44 am ET (1244 GMT) |
