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The Kepler Space Telescope had a relatively brief but remarkable service career with NASA. Launched in 2009, the space telescope has spent the last nine years observing distant stars in search of signs of planetary transits (ie the transit method).
Right now, he has been responsible for detecting 2,650 confirmed exoplanets, which constitutes the majority of the more than 3,800 planets discovered so far.
Earlier this week, the Kepler team was informed that the fuel of the space telescope tank is running very low. NASA reacted by putting the spacecraft into hibernation in anticipation of downloading its scientific data that it collected during its last observation campaign.
Once the data has been downloaded, the team plans to launch its latest observation campaign using the fuel that it has. left
Since 2013, Kepler has been conducting his "Second Light" campaign (aka K2), where the telescope continued its observations despite the loss of two of its reaction wheels.
Since May 12, 2018, Kepler has been on his 18th campaign of observation, which consisted of the study of a parcel of sky in the vicinity of the constellation of Cancer – which & # 39; 39, she previously studied in 2015.
In order to send the data home, the spacecraft will indicate is a large antenna to the Earth and transmits it via the Deep Space Network. However, the DSN is responsible for transmitting data from multiple missions and the time must be allocated in advance.
Kepler is to send data from his 18th campaign in August, and will remain in stable orbit and safe mode in order to save fuel until then.
On August 2, the Kepler team will command the spacecraft to wake up and maneuver the craft in the right direction to transmit the data
Hopefully, they will begin the 19th campaign of Kepler's observation on August 6 with what the spacecraft still has. At present, NASA expects the spacecraft will run out of fuel in the coming months.
However, even after the end of the Kepler mission, scientists and engineers will continue to extract the data that has already been returned. 19659003] According to a recent study by an international team of scientists, 24 new exoplanets were discovered using data from the 10th observation campaign, bringing the total number of Kepler discoveries to 2,650 confirmed exoplanets .
In the coming years other discoveries of exoplanets are expected when the next generation of space telescopes will begin to collect their first light or will be deployed in space
including the TESS satellite (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) launched last April and the James Webb Space Telescope. (JWST) – whose launch is expected in 2021.
However, it will take many years before a mission can compete with Kepler's achievements and contributions! Long after his retirement, his legacy will continue in the form of his discoveries.
This article was published by Universe Today. Read the original article.
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