Kepler Mission
<p class="default">from Wiki: initial life-cycle cost = $600M including funding for 3.5 years.
In 2012 NASA approved more funding until 2016.</p>
<p>
Feb 5, 2008 8:42 PM
Tonite I missed the Kepler talk at Nasa ... prob. was cool, but too tired.
I read the science portion of the website ... totally cool.</p>
<p>
will look constantly at 10 degr * 10 degr area just to the left of Vega;
look for dimunition of brightness similar to a fruitfly transiting a headlight.
Many, many sources of noise are discussed.
They will be able to see earth size planets and smaller over the course of the 4 year mission.</p>
<p>
09:37 PM, June 14, 2007</p>
<p>
look at animation:</p>
<p>
when distant planet transits the star; its light diminishes;
a sensative photometer will pick it up and look for periodic
diminution. Kepler is specificalyd esigned to find
earth-sized planets orbitting in the habitable zones of
distant stars. will monitor 100,000 stars (? simultan)</p>