How NASA Tried to Save Its Prime Planet-Spotter

摘要

Since its launch in 2009, NASA's Kepler spacecraft has discovered 130 new extrasolar planets and identified hundreds of candidates. On 15 August, however, NASA announced that the hardworking planet-hunter could no longer continue doing science as before. Two of the four reaction wheels that keep the craft precisely pointed at target stars had seized up and could not be revived. Charles Sobeck, deputy project manager for Kepler at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California, describes what happened and what lies in store for the probe. The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.