Comments on: NASA officially retires Kepler

By: Col Beausabre

Col Beausabre — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 20:39:34 +0000

Also, if it is spinning/tumbling,, it’s too dangerous for a putative rescue mission with fuel and new gyros to approach.

By: pzatchok

pzatchok — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 17:01:12 +0000

Thanks for the info Fred K

By: Fred k

Fred k — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 16:02:20 +0000

pzatchok:

Kepler is crippled. No fuel for stabilization, and only 1 gyro. So it will be (or is now) spinning without a way to control it.

No control, means no meaningful data. Also, no way to point toward Earth for data download, AND, soon maybe no power because the solar panels aren’t oriented correctly.

By: fred k

fred k — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 15:59:19 +0000

I might add that the TESS + Kepler together cost one order of magnitude LESS than JWST.

By: pzatchok

pzatchok — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 05:08:41 +0000

Even though it can not be moved to point at new stars couldn’t it be left on and downloading data until it just stops all on its own?

If it has gyroscopes on it couldn’t those be used to reorient it slowly?

Offer it up to private citizens or universities if they want to use it that way.