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Missions Encyclopedia Entry 1779138544

** The **Missions Encyclopedia Entry 1779138544** refers to the **Kepler Space Telescope**, a NASA space observatory that revolutionized our understanding of exoplanets and the search for life beyond Earth. ## Overview The **Kepler Space Telescope** is a space-based observatory that has been instrumental in the discovery of thousands of exoplanets, transforming our understanding of planetary formation and the search for life beyond Earth. Launched on March 6, 2009, by NASA, the Kepler Space Telescope was designed to survey a portion of the Milky Way galaxy for planets that transit their host stars, causing a periodic decrease in brightness. This innovative approach has enabled scientists to detect exoplanets with unprecedented precision and accuracy. The Kepler Space Telescope is named after Johannes Kepler, a German mathematician and astronomer who discovered the three laws of planetary motion. The spacecraft is equipped with a 95-megapixel camera that captures images of stars and their surrounding environments. By analyzing the light curves of these stars, scientists can identify the presence of exoplanets and determine their size, mass, and orbital characteristics. ## History/Background The concept of the Kepler Space Telescope dates back to the 1990s, when scientists began exploring the possibility of using space-based telescopes to detect exoplanets. In 2001, NASA selected the Kepler Space Telescope as one of its top priorities for the Discovery Program, a series of low-cost, high-impact space missions. The spacecraft was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. and launched on a Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. After a successful launch, the Kepler Space Telescope began its four-year primary mission to survey a 100-square-degree region of the sky, known as the Cygnus X-1 field. During this time, the spacecraft detected thousands of exoplanet candidates, many of which were later confirmed through follow-up observations. In 2013, NASA extended the Kepler Space Telescope's mission by two years, allowing it to continue its search for exoplanets. ## Key Information The Kepler Space Telescope has made several groundbreaking discoveries, including: * **Exoplanet discovery:** The Kepler Space Telescope has discovered over 2,600 exoplanet candidates, many of which have been confirmed through follow-up observations. * **Size and mass:** The spacecraft has detected exoplanets ranging in size from small, rocky worlds to large, gas-giant planets. * **Orbital characteristics:** Kepler has revealed the orbital patterns of exoplanets, including their periods, eccentricities, and orbital inclinations. * **Transit method:** The Kepler Space Telescope has demonstrated the effectiveness of the transit method for detecting exoplanets, which involves measuring the decrease in brightness caused by a planet passing in front of its host star. ## Significance The Kepler Space Telescope has revolutionized our understanding of exoplanets and the search for life beyond Earth. Its discoveries have: * **Transformed our understanding of planetary formation:** Kepler's findings have revealed the diversity of planetary systems and the complex processes involved in planetary formation. * **Impacted the search for life:** The Kepler Space Telescope has identified thousands of exoplanets that are potentially habitable, increasing the likelihood of finding life beyond Earth. * **Inspired new missions:** Kepler's success has paved the way for future missions, such as the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and the James Webb Space Telescope. INFOBOX: - Name: **Kepler Space Telescope** - Type: **Space Observatory** - Date: **March 6, 2009** - Location: **Earth's orbit** - Known For: **Discovery of thousands of exoplanets** TAGS: **Kepler Space Telescope**, **Exoplanets**, **Space Observatory**, **NASA**, **Astronomy**, **Astrophysics**, **Planetary Science**, **Search for Life**, **Habitable Worlds**