Connect with the Mission
Mission Manager Updates
Johannes Kepler
Meet the Mission Manager
Since Kepler began the science data-collection phase in May 2009, we do a health check of the spacecraft twice a week and download science data once per month. We will post updates on a periodic basis as new information develops.Roger Hunter
Kepler Mission Manager
NASA Ames Research Center
Mission Manager Updates
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Kepler Mission Manager Update – 503 New Planet Candidates
06.07.2013 - The Kepler spacecraft remains in its Point Rest State (PRS) and is operating well in this mode.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
05.21.2013 - Following the apparent failure of reaction wheel 4, engineers were successful at transitioning the spacecraft to Point Rest State.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
05.15.2013 - At our semi-weekly contact on Tuesday, May 14, 2013, we found the Kepler spacecraft once again in safe mode.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
05.09.2013 - During a scheduled contact, engineers discovered Kepler was in a self-protective mode. The spacecraft returned to science data collection on May 6.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
04.29.2013 - The team recently completed a monthly science data download, marking the successful completion of Quarter 16 flight operations.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
03.29.2013 - The spacecraft continues to operate efficiently and the science team has had a chance to examine the high rate data that was downlinked on March 6-7.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
03.05.2013 - Since returning to science data collection on Jan. 27, 2013, after a 10-day precautionary wheel rest safe mode, the spacecraft has been performing well and continues to make science observations.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update: Kepler Returns to Science Mode
01.29.2013 - After a "wheel rest" safe mode that began on January 17, 2013, NASA's Kepler spacecraft returned to science data collection.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
01.17.2013 - Kepler has completed two science data downloads since the last update, successfully completing Quarter 15 flight operations and beginning Quarter 16.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
11.20.2012 - After discovering the spacecraft was not collecting precision data, Kepler engineers succeeded in returning the spacecraft to science data collection.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
10.26.2012 - The Kepler team has completed two more science data downloads marking the successful completion of Quarter 14 flight operations.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
09.14.2012 - The Kepler team completed another monthly science data download, August 29-30, completing Quarter 14 month 2 science data collection.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
08.01.2012 - The Kepler team completed another monthly science data download over July 29-30, 2012.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
07.24.2012 - As reported earlier, on July 14, 2012, the Kepler spacecraft experienced an anomaly in the reaction wheel assembly (RWA) of the Attitude and Determination Control Subsystem (ADCS).
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
07.20.12 - On July 14, 2012, the Kepler spacecraft experienced a disruption in science data collection due to a pointing error.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
07.10.12 - Since the last update the team has had two science data downlinks.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
05.15.2012 - April was a momentous time for the mission! The team received approval for a mission extension through fiscal year 2016.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
04.01.2012 - On March 31 and April 1, team members from NASA Ames and the Kepler mission will participate in the first SpaceUp San Francisco event held at Citizen Space.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
03.22.2012 - On Feb. 29, 2012, a Kepler project team contingent briefed a senior review panel and NASA Headquarters members on a proposal for extending the Kepler baseline mission. On March 7, the Kepler mission team received the 2012 Aviation Week Laureate Award for Space.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
02.10.12 - The Kepler team announced the discovery of 11 new planetary systems with 26 more planets and found two new circumbinary planets.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
01.10.12 - The project had an exciting close to 2011. A very successful Kepler Science Conference was held at NASA Ames and attracted more than 500 people.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
12.19.2011 - Kepler spacecraft experienced a processor reset. The project team detected a software reboot during regular scheduled contact.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
12.01.2011 - The mission operations team just successfully completed our latest science data downlink and we are making final preparations for the Kepler Science Conference.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
11.01.11 - Busy times are routine for the Kepler project team. Since my last update, we have announced several more confirmed planets -- Kepler-16b, and the Kepler 18 system (18b, 18c, and 18d).
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Mission Manager Update - Closing Quarter Nine, Onto Quarter 10
08.11.11 - The mission operations team successfully completed the summer quarterly roll of the spacecraft over June 26-27.
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Mission Manager Update: Kepler Spacecraft Status Report
06.17.11 - The health of the spacecraft and photometer, the instrument used to measure changes in the brightness of distant stars, is excellent.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
05.05.11 - Another 93 Gigabytes of Data Added to the Archive
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
03.21.11 - Kepler Returns to Science
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Kepler Mission Manager Update
03.15.11 - Safe Mode Event March 15, 2011
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Mission Manager Update, March 8, 2011
03.08.11 - Kepler and Its First 1,235 Candidates
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, Feb. 7, 2011
02.07.11 - The Kepler project team has recovered spacecraft from its Safe Mode event that occurred on Feb. 1, 2011.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, Feb. 1, 2011
02.01.11 - During the scheduled Feb. 1, 2011 contact with the Kepler spacecraft, engineers discovered Kepler was in Safe Mode, with photometer and star trackers powered off.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, Jan. 07, 2011
01.07.11 - The Kepler Project Team successfully returned the spacecraft to normal operations on Jan. 6, 2011.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, Dec. 30, 2010
12.30.10 - In response to the Dec. 22, 2010 Safe Mode event on the Kepler spacecraft, the mission team has brought in several experts and begun a detailed anomaly investigation.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, Dec. 22, 2010
12.22.10 - On Dec. 22, 2010, Kepler experienced a safe mode event.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, Dec. 14, 2010
12.14.10 - During a regularly scheduled contact with the Kepler spacecraft on Dec. 13, 2010, the project team discovered Kepler had experienced an anomaly. Kepler was found in coarse point attitude, as opposed to finepoint.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, Dec. 06, 2010
12.06.10 - The Kepler project team completed another science data download Nov. 22-23, 2010.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, Oct. 29, 2010
10.29.10 - The Kepler project team completed another science data download Oct. 23, 2010.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, Sept. 28, 2010
09.28.10 - The Kepler Project Team completed another quarterly roll of the spacecraft Sept. 22-23, 2010.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, August 24, 2010
08.24.10 - The Kepler team continues with its very busy operations and data analysis activities.
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Earth-size is not Earth-like
07.27.10 - The TED Talk by Dimitar Sasselov
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, June 4, 2010
06.04.10 - May was a busy month for the Kepler Mission.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, May 3, 2010
05.03.10 - Kepler project engineers successfully completed another download of science data over April 21-22, 2010.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, March 10, 2010
03.10.10 - The Kepler spacecraft has been performing well since the Safe Mode event of Feb. 2, 2010.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, Feb. 8, 2010
02.08.10 - Kepler experienced a safe mode event on February 2, 2010.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, Jan. 19, 2010
01.19.10 - Kepler is continuing to collect science data.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, Dec. 23, 2009
12.23.09 - Kepler continues to monitor the Cygnus-Lyrae region of the sky for Earth-size planets in the habitable zone of other stars.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, Nov. 23, 2009
11.23.09 - Kepler experienced a safe mode event on Nov. 18, 2009.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, Nov. 5, 2009
11.05.09 - Kepler completed another science data download over October 18-19.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, Oct. 14, 2009
10.14.09 - It has now been five months since Kepler science operations began.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, Sept. 23, 2009
09.23.09 - Kepler is approximately 18 million kilometers (11 million miles) from Earth, and continuing its drift-away orbit. All systems are operating normally. Last week, the Kepler project team completed another download of science data, and, in conjunction, a quarterly roll of the spacecraft.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, Sept. 8, 2009
09.08.09 - As it nears 11,000,000 miles distance from Earth, the Kepler spacecraft continues to scan the Milky Way galaxy, near the Cygnus constellation, for Earth-sized planets.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, August 21, 2009
08.21.09 - Kepler is more than 10,000,000 miles from Earth and continues in its drift away, heliocentric orbit.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, July 23, 2009
07.23.09 - Kepler remains in its science attitude and Earth-trailing, helio-centric orbit.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, July 7, 2009
07.07.09 - On July 4, Kepler passed a point 12,500,000 kilometers (7,767,140 miles) from Earth.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, June 19, 2009
06.19.09 - Kepler is more than 10,700,000 kilometers (about 6,600,00 miles) from Earth and continues its planned drift-away orbit.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, June 9, 2009
06.09.09 - Kepler is nearing 10 million kilometers from Earth, and will pass that mark on June 12.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, May 29, 2009
05.29.09 - Kepler remains safe and stable in its "drift-away" heliocentric orbit.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, May 14, 2009
05.14.09 - Following a successful readiness review, Kepler began its search for planets around other stars on May 12, 2009.
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Let the Planet Hunt Begin
05.13.09 - NASA's Kepler spacecraft has begun its search for other Earth-like worlds.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, May 7, 2009
05.07.09 - Kepler is now more than six million kilometers (3.7 million miles) from Earth.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, May 1, 2009
05.01.09 - Kepler's calibration data collection is drawing to a close.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, April 23, 2009
04.23.09 - The Kepler telescope's focus has been successfully optimized.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, April 20, 2009
04.20.09 - The Kepler science team has decided that further refinement of the telescope's focus would significantly improve the mission's science return.
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Mission Manager Update, April 17, 2009
04.17.09 - Kepler's "first light" image taken the day after cover release is now available to the public.
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Kepler Captures First Views of Planet-Hunting Territory
04.16.09 - NASA's Kepler mission has taken its first images of the star-rich sky where it will soon begin hunting for planets like Earth.
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Mission Manager Update, April 13, 2009
04.13.09 - Up until a few days ago, NASA's Deep Space Network stations have had their Ka-band radio receivers cross polarized to the spacecraft radio transmitter.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, April 8, 2009
04.08.09 - The dust cover was successfully jettisoned from the front of the telescope last evening at about 7:18 p.m. PDT.
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Dust Cover Jettisoned From NASA's Kepler Telescope
04.07.09 - Engineers have successfully ejected the dust cover from NASA's Kepler telescope, a spaceborne mission soon to begin searching for worlds like Earth.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, April 7, 2009
04.06.09 - All of the technical and programmatic reviews leading to the release of the dust cover from Kepler are now successfully completed.
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Kepler Dust Cover Poised for Removal
04.07.09 - The dust cover on NASA's Kepler spacecraft is scheduled to be ejected tonight, no earlier than 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time, with a backup opportunity tomorrow evening.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, April 2, 2009
04.06.09 - Flight controllers have transitioned Kepler out of its low-activity safe mode and have powered on its main instrument, the photometer.
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NASA Joins 'Around the World in 80 Telescopes'
04.02.09 - A collection of NASA missions will be involved in a live event Friday, April 3, that will allow the public to get an inside look at how these missions are run.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, April 2, 2009
04.02.09 - Flight controllers have transitioned Kepler out of its low-activity safe mode and have powered on its main instrument, the photometer.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, March 30, 2009
03.30.09 - Engineers have determined the cause of Kepler's entry into limited safe mode last week, and are preparing to return the spacecraft to normal operations.
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Kepler Mission Manager Update, March 26, 2009
03.26.09 - Scientists have analyzed "dark" calibration data taken by Kepler with its dust cover on, and have concluded that the telescope's focal-plane array, the area where light is focused, is behaving as expected.
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Mission Manager Update, March 21, 2009
03.21.09 - Kepler is now 1.5 million kilometers (930,000 miles) from Earth.
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Mission Manager Update, March 18, 2009
03.18.09 - Engineers are continuing the process of calibrating Kepler's photometer in the dark, with its dust cover on.
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Mission Manager Update, March 16, 2009
03.16.09 - Kepler is now more than 1 million kilometers (620,000 miles) from Earth, drifting away at the rate of about 1 kilometer per second.
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Kepler Mission Manager Report - Mar. 12, 2009
03.12.09 - Kepler's science instrument, called a photometer, was powered on by flight controllers and will be calibrated over the next several weeks.
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Kepler Mission Manager Report - Mar. 11, 2009
03.11.09 - After Kepler vaulted into the heavens on a column of thunder Friday March 6, it quickly sent its first communications to Earth via NASA's Deep Space Network.
