This NASA Discovery mission is to be launched in June 2008 and will search for Earth-size and smaller planets. Launch was originally scheduled in 2007 but delayed by 8 months due to "funding constraints".

Here's the official web site:
http://www.kepler.arc.nasa.gov/

Paper: astro-ph/0512251

Date: Fri, 9 Dec 2005 16:01:29 GMT (988kb)

Title: The Effect of the Transit of Venus on ACRIM's Total Solar Irradiance
Measurements: Implications for Transit Studies of Extrasolar Planets

Authors: G. Schneider, J. M. Pasachoff and R. C. Willson

Comments: Accepted to ApJ 8 Dec 2005; 14 pages of text, 8 figures, 1 table
\\
We used the 8 June 2004 transit of Venus (ToV) as a surrogate to test
observing methods, strategies and techniques that are being contemplated for
future space missions to detect and characterize extrasolar terrestrial planets
(ETPs) as they transit their host stars, notably NASA's Kepler mission planned
for 2008. As an analog to "Kepler-like" photometric transit observations, we
obtained (spatially unresolved) radiometric observations with the ACRIM 3
instrument on ACRIMSAT to follow the effect of the ToV on the total solar
irradiance (TSI). Contemporaneous high-resolution broadband imagery with NASA's
TRACE spacecraft provided, directly, measures of the stellar (solar)
astrophysical noise that can intrinsically limit such transit observations.
During the ~ 5.5 h transit, the planet's angular diameter was approximately
1/32 the solar diameter, thus covering ~ 0.1 of the stellar surface. With our
ACRIM 3 data, we measure temporal changes in TSI with a 1 sigma per sample
(unbinned) uncertainty of approximately 100 mW m^-2 (0.007%). A diminution in
TSI of ~ 1.4 W m^-2 (~ 0.1%, closely corresponding to the geometrically
occulted area of the photosphere) was measured at mid-transit compared with a
mean pre/post transit TSI of ~ 1365.9 W m^-2. These observations serve as a
surrogate to future photometric observations of ETPs such as Kepler will
deliver. Detailed analysis of the ToV, a rare event within our own solar
system, with time-resolved radiometry augmented with high-resolution imagery
provides a useful analogue for investigating the detectability and
characterization of ETPs from observations that are anticipated in the near
future.

\\ ( http://arXiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0512251 , 988kb)

Astrophysics, abstract
astro-ph/0601186

From: Gyula Szabo [view email]

Date: Mon, 9 Jan 2006 16:10:04 GMT (132kb)

Possibility of a photometric detection of "exomoons"

Authors: Gy. M. Szabo, K. Szatmary, Zs. Diveki, A. Simon

Comments: 5 pages, 4 figures, accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysics

We examined which exo-systems contain moons that may be detected in transit. We numerically modeled transit light curves of Earth-like and giant planets that cointain moons with 0.005--0.4 Earth-mass. The orbital parameters were randomly selected, but the entire system fulfilled Hill-stability. We conclude that the timing effect is caused by two scenarios: the motion of the planet and the moon around the barycenter. Which one dominates depends on the parameters of the system.

Already planned missions (Kepler, COROT) may be able to detect the moon in transiting extrasolar Earth-Moon-like systems with a 20% probability. From our sample of 500 free-designed systems, 8 could be detected with the photometric accuracy of 0.1 mmag and a 1 minute sampling, and one contains a stony planet. With ten times better accuracy, 51 detections are expected. All such systems orbit far from the central star, with the orbital periods at least 200 and 10 days for the planet and the moon, while they contain K- and M-dwarf stars.

Finally we estimate that a few number of real detections can be expected by the end of the COROT and the Kepler missions.

http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0601186

Science/Astronomy:

* Close-Up on the Kepler Mission

http://www.space.com/searchforlife/seti_kepler_060118.html

The next transit of an Earth-sized planet will likely be observed in 2007 by the NASA Discovery Program's Kepler Mission. But the event won't happen in our solar system.

* Asteroid Collision Fueled Ancient Dust Storm on Earth

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/0601...eroid_dust.html

One of the biggest cosmic dust storms of the past 80 million years left a blanket of material on Earth after an asteroid in space broke apart, researchers said today.

According to the Kepler website, which doesn't look like it has been updated for a while, the Critical Design Review for Kepler was supposed to happen in February. Does anyone know if it happened, whether Kepler passed, and if it has enterred ATLO yet? We've heard second hand reports via Bruce that the budget has been busted, but that NASA will keep the money flowing. But has the project moved much lately?

I am interested in it as well
Well I downloaded the NASA's budget document and it seems that Kepler is going to be launched...unless I interpret the language in wrong way:
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/142458main_FY07_budget_full.pdf
But the ATLO you speak about is written in the document as only to be conducted.
I am really interested and hope somebody could share a light on this.

Latest news is that the launch is currently set for mid-2008. They seem determined not to cancel it, although there may be further delays. (Once again, we have dramatic evidence of the extent to which Discovery proposers are tempted to understate their mission's cost and then try to persuade NASA to go along with it anyway. I hope Dawn hasn't set a disastrous precedent in this, or the Solar System Groupies may have shot themselves badly in the foot by demanding that it not be cancelled.)

Looks like a great mission,
we've got loads of exoplanet missions Corot, Kepler, TPF and Darwin ( If the budget stays good then NASA have some great exoplanet mission plans - unless of course NASA continues to hacking bits off TPF until there's nothing left )

Today, I noticed that the Kepler web site schedule has been updated. Launch has been slipped
by 4 months due to fiscal matters, and is now scheduled for October 2008. In addition, the
Critical Design Review is scheduled for this month, April 2006.

In addition, Kepler will now feature a fixed High Gain antenna, instead of featuring a gimbal.
According to the website, this was done to reduce risk, cost and complexity. However, this
means that Kepler will miss 1 day's worth of observing per month.

This is targeted at those with some familiarity with sources of Astronomical
images. I am including links to the planned Field of View (FOV) for the Kepler
mission. The first page links to a brief description of the FOV's location, while
the second link is a more detailed pdf of the FOV itself.

http://kepler.nasa.gov/sci/basis/fov.html

http://kepler.nasa.gov/sci/basis/images/New_FOV_6m.pdf



What I am looking for would be telescope images of the FOV, showing the
star fields in some detail. I have searched the Kepler web site, but there are
no such telescopic photos there. I think that is a shame. Kepler's mission involves
searching for extra-solar planetary transits using a fancy photometer. The resulting
light curves will be great to analyze, but the public (including me) will want to
see just what Kepler was looking at.

I think that a mosaic of images of the target FOV Milky Way star field should
be magnificent. To me, such public outreach should be something that the Kepler
team would want to pursue.


Another Phil

Are there known transiting exoplanets in that piece of sky for cross-checking purposes?

I know two exo-planets have been discovered by the use of the transit method. However, the only planet that could be used to calibrate or test such technologies at the current time is Venus. Scientists used the June 8, 2004 transit to test alot of devices and technologies that Kepler and future missions will use.

The most important one was done by ACRIM which showed a orbiting spacecraft CAN detect a minute drop (about 0.1%) in a parent star's (the Sun!) light reaching a detector.

Good news though: There will be another transit on June 6, 2012. I bet this will be used as well!

It seems to me that many more opportunities happen than this. We need only look at the light curve of medium to large asteroids as the Earth, or Venus, or Mars, or Jupiter transit the Sun from their locations. There must be dozens of such events per year. More if you want to look at smaller objects.

I believe that they do intend to get a lot of data on star variability as a fringe benefit from the Kepler mission -- just as ESA's cancelled Eddington mission would have done the same two things, but in reverse order of priority.

By the way, one selling point for the proposed "Joint Dark Energy Mission" that NASA and the Dept. of Energy were planning to team up on as the first "Beyond Einstein" mission -- although those have been put on indefinite hold due to the serious funding problems in NASA's Astrophysics Division -- was that, by adding just $100 million to its total cost, it could follow up its initial measurements of very distant supernovas with a very extensive microlensing census of planets in one of the Magellanic Clouds.

Here is a direct look at Kepler's FOV (Field of View).



Click to view attachment



Kepler will be staring at this FOV for 4 years, looking for transits. In this FOV,
there are about 200,000 stars, half of which will meet the criteria for planetary
search (single, non-variable, etc.).

Therefore, Kepler will be sorting through the brightness stability of about
100,000 stars. I think that it would add immensely to one's appreciation of
the magnitude of Kepler's mission if there were actual images of the galactic
star fields inserted into the FOV above.

In fact, it would be helpful to have high-res digital images of each of the
21 sub-fields (each of these sub-fields will be covered by one of Kepler's CCD's).


Does anyone have access to a good source of Milky Way digital imagery,
especially of the area near Cygnus, shown above?


Another Phil

Systems Engineering for the Kepler Mission

http://kepler.nasa.gov/pdf_files/SPIE.Glasgow.Duren.pdf

Here is an image of a Milky Way star field in the vicinity of
Alpha Cygni (Deneb).

http://video.library.gatech.edu/Barnard_Pr...t1-pl045_sm.jpg


This image is near the Kepler FOV and gives an idea of the task facing
Kepler. Recall that Kepler will be staring at a star field, containing
about 100,000 - 200,000 stars, for 4 years looking for planetary transits.
This image is part of an on-line collection of classic Milky Way
images obtained by E.E. Barnard. The search page can be found at

http://video.library.gatech.edu/cgi-bin/bp...rch.pl?search=0



Another Phil

The Kepler Mission: The Search for Earth-like Planets
By Leonard David
Senior Space Writer, Space.com
posted: 07 February 2007
06:27 am ET

Alan Stern is not kidding around...

"There's a new team in town and we don't work that way"

I think we should club together and buy Alan a sherif badge

All credit to the guy - these are not easy decisions to make - and the best decision is rarely the easiest one.

Doug

I really love the Kepler mission concept, and I've been sad to see it delayed so long, but (reading the article) it sure sounds like Alan was spot-on with this one. Sadly, it feeds my perception that most of Nasa's problems are self-inflicted. On the bright side, it suggests things could get much better if Alan keeps making calls like this.

--Greg

...
Click to view attachment

Why this so different from the first Dawn decision?

Too bad Alan wasn't around to prevent the GP-B fiasco.

Slightly related...We've often heard the quote, "That sure would look great in the Smithsonian". Got two questions:

1. Are there any projects that were killed and placed in the Smithsonian, or A&S museums in general?

2. Really, wouldn't you be disappointed to see an unlaunched space probe sitting there in the A&S museum? I think it would be better to mount it in the foyer of the managing team's facility as a reminder.

Two examples - one big, one small.

The Saturn V at JSC is built from parts destined for Apollo 18/19 and/or the third stage that got pulled off to make room for Skylab.

And Marie Curie - the Sojourner spare - then destined for the 01 lander, which got cancelled, and never made it onto the Phoenix payload - not sure where she lives now but she's been to exhibitions afaik.

Doug

Back up Skylab,
Agena
Triana is some where
AFP-888, P80-1, Teal Ruby

"...The Saturn V at JSC is built from parts destined for Apollo 18/19 and/or the third stage that got pulled off to make room for Skylab..."

I believe there are 3 Saturn 5's on display, the third one at Marshall or somewhere Huntsville, though only 2 flight vehicles remained after Apollo's 18 and 19 were budget canceled. The third vehicle is the dummy pad-checkout vehicle that was used to test VAB/Crawler/Pad operations and connections/hookups before Apollo 4's Saturn 501 was prepared for launch. I read somewhere that parts of it are included in both the Canaveral and Houston display vehicles, so none of the vehicles on display is 100% flight capable hardware.

This is what Wiki says:

Currently there are three Saturn Vs on display, all displayed horizontally:
A Saturn V on display at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
A Saturn V on display at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

* At the Johnson Space Center made up of first stage of SA-514, the second stage from SA-515 and the third stage from SA-513.
* At the Kennedy Space Center made up of S-IC-T (test stage) and the second and third stages from SA-514.
* At the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, made up of S-IC-D, S-II-F/D and S-IVB-D (all test stages not meant for actual flight)(soon to be moved to a new visitor's center).


So the JSC one is all flight hardware (and the only one to be so) - just not from the same vehicle.

The space station appears destined to contribute a lot of hardware to these lists.

Only 3 MPLM's
the rest wasn't built

In which parts of the Electromagnetic spectrum are Kepler's detectors active ( Visible and Infrared ? )

From the Kepler website: "The [photometer] has a spectral bandpass from 400 nm to 850 nm."

Kepler mission: Work in progress
http://www.ballaerospace.com/gallery/kepler/

Just finished submitting your name for LRO? Now send it on Kepler!

http://www.seti.org/kepler/names/

Kepler is expected to be able to discover at least 50 earth sized planets

Another Kepler update.

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2008-179

The spacecraft is in Colorado and survived the termal vacuum test. I note they're only saying it'll launch in 2009 -- I wonder if they have quietly backed off the April 2009 date. Anyway, NASA elsewhere still shows an April 10 launch date.

http://www.nasa.gov/missions/highlights/schedule.html

--Greg

They're now showing Kepler scheduled for launch: 2009 March 4, 10:46 pm EST on the Kepler web site.

http://www.kepler.arc.nasa.gov/

Still no countdown though. :-)

--Greg

The NASA Launch Schedule now has the Kepler launch set for April 10.

http://www.nasa.gov/missions/highlights/schedule.html

Yesterday, NASA moved the launch of Kepler back to "no earlier than" March 5. They do not list a launch time.

I haven't seen any posts on Kepler in a while and with the launch less than two weeks off I figured I might post :-)

The Kepler observatory made the 20 mile trip from the Astrotech cleanroom to LC-17B Thursday morning and after a couple days of delay due to weather was this morning lifted and mounted atop the 13-story Delta 2 rocket that will take it into space in 12 days. Some cleanroom shots from the media viewing a few weeks ago.

Launch is on target for Thursday March 5 at 10:48pm EST. There will be two launch windows of exactly three minutes each that day, stretching from 10:48:43 - 10:51:43pm and 11:16:34 - 11:19:34pm EST. NASA TV coverage begins at about 8pm or 8:30pm; www.nasa.gov/ntv.

Thanks for the update Ben - much appreciated.

Slightly OT but I'm curious about how much time you have to spend just hanging about waiting for launches to get windows defined with a confidence level that enables you to get all your kit prepared for setting up - basically do you end up having to sacrifice weeks\months of time in order to be sure of getting a shot or are you able to actually work a more or less normal life around launch windows?

I hope that Kepler would have to wait for the results is less than Corot.

http://www.kepler.arc.nasa.gov/pdf_files/3...2-19_smfile.pdf

Thanks for the link to the Kepler info Byran, fascinating stuff, but there's not a lot of point copying a great chunk of it - or other reports, etc - into your post too. Best to let people follow the link and read it for themselves if they want to.

Although I think this bit is worth posting, since it answers the question of "how long must we wait for results?"

"The first planets discovered by Kepler will be gas giants, similar in size to Jupiter, in close orbits lasting only a few days around their parent stars. Planets in Mercury-like orbits with orbital periods of only a few months will be discovered using data from the first year of operations. Finding Earth-size planets in Earth-like orbits will require the entire length of the 3.5-year Kepler Mission."

If I recall correctly, the reason it takes as long as it does is that they need to see the planet transit three times; once to discover it, a second time to get the period, and the third time to confirm the result.

--Greg

Launch has been pushed back a day to check the Delta II for any common parts with the Taurus that failed this week. Launch now no earlier than Friday, 6 Mar 2009 at 10:49:57 p.m. EST (Saturday 7 Mar 2009 03:49:57 UTC)

http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d339/status.html

The Delta 2 rocket with Kepler has been cleared for blastoff Friday night at 10:49pm. There is a 90% chance of acceptable weather conditions predicted.

http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d339/status.html

*ulp*. This is the most nervous I'm going to be until the MSL launch / EDL. (Of couse, with Kepler the launch is "easy" bit... )

imipak, Kepler and its possibilites is definitily a mission that fits in my "special cookie" condition...what will it find? What surprises expect us? A legion of earth-like planets or the absence of these? Either way it will have a huge impact in the future not only in space exploration but mostly, in my opinion, in our perspective towards the place we occupy in the universe. It will, surely, open our eyes and pave the way to a different reality. Truly a revolutionary mission for a species like ours...therefore here I am, with this strange, good feeling in the stomach, all excited, all nervous and crossing my fingers. Probably the launch I am following with more anticipation...Friday will be a great day...

I hope, _hope_, /HOPE!/ that you're right. Until Kepler's safely in orbit without mishap, though, I can't think of those as anything but potential possibilities. I'm a devout rationalist, but events like this really help me understand why, and how, superstitions develop. Pucker factor: 0.4...

I'm trying to persuade a colleague at work with a latent interest in UMSF to wake his kids up to watch the launch. He expresses what he thinks is a rational aversion to spending money on U?MSF in general, but I can tell he secretly digs the "cool" factor. I'm guessing his kids are his weak point!

And how cool can it get the fact of watching the launch of a mission that has the potential to change the way we see the Universe?
I would like to tell my grandchildren that I was there watching the launch of Kepler, the one who first sighted a-n-o-t-h-e-r earth, but hey...we're all talking about in the hypothetical field here...man...why does friday take so long to arrive?