NASAs Kepler Spacecraft Set for Launch
Posted in: science, space, Today's Chili
NASA’s Kepler spacecraft, which will attempt to discover Earth-like planets in our galaxy, has been cleared for launch at Cape Canaveral this Friday at 10:50 PM EST.
The Kepler spacecraft will focus in on a specific patch of space for the next three and a half years, searching for signs of Earth-sized planets revolving around stars that are similar to our own. The patch of space contains about 100,000 stars, so there should be plenty to look at.
NASA said in a statement that Kepler will look for slight dimming in the stars as planets pass between the star and Kepler, using special versions of detectors like the ones in common digital cameras. The spacecraft will orbit the earth in such a way that it can stay focused on the same stars the entire time, which is something that Hubble and other missions haven’t been able to do, according to the agency.
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