K2 Is Kepler Second Light Mission

SPACE EXPLORATION NEWS: A repurposed Kepler Space telescope mission concept, dubbed K2, may soon start searching the sky again for exoplanets. Artists concept of Kepler in the distant solar system. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech(Sen) - A repurposed Kepler Space telescope mission concept, dubbed K2, may soon start searching the sky again for other worlds, and introduce new opportunities to observe star clusters, young and old stars, active galaxies and supernovae. In May, the spacecraft lost the second of four gyroscope-like reaction wheels. Kepler required three functioning wheels, used to precisely point the spacecraft, to fulfil its primary planet hunting mission. With the failure of a second reaction wheel, Kepler can no longer precisely point at the missions original field of view. The Sun not only provides Kepler with its energy needs, it also pushes the spacecraft around by the pressure exerted when the photons of sunlight strike the spacecraft. Without a third wheel to help counteract the solar pressure, the spacecrafts ultra-precise pointing capability cannot be controlled in all directions. How solar pressure can be used to keep Kepler stable enough to continue searching for transiting planets around distant stars. Image Credit: NASA Ames/W Stenzel. Now, Kepler mission and Ball Aerospace engineers have developed...