"Some of those new planet candidates square measure tiny and a few reside within the livable zone of their stars, however a lot of work remains to be done to verify these results," Kepler mission manager Roger Hunter, of NASA's Ames research facility in Moffett Field, Calif., wrote in associate update on June seven.
The latest haul brings Kepler's tally of exoplanet candidates to three,216. simply 132 of them are confirmed by follow-up observations so far, however mission scientists expect a minimum of ninety p.c can find yourself being the important deal. [7 Greatest Kepler Discoveries (So Far)]
The new finds were force from observations Kepler created throughout its 1st 3 years of operation, from might 2009 to March 2012, researchers aforesaid. The telescope hasn't done any planet looking since being hobbled by a failure in its orientation-maintaining system in might.
Uncertain future
The $600 million Kepler craft launched in March 2009, beginning a three.5-year mission to work out however common Earth-like planets square measure throughout the galaxy galaxy.
Kepler spots exoplanets by police work the small brightness dips caused once they pass before of their stars' faces from the instrument's perspective. The observatory will this exactness work by staying fast onto one hundred fifty,000-plus target stars mistreatment 3 gyroscope-like devices known as reaction wheels.
Kepler launched with four functioning reaction wheels — 3 for immediate use and one spare. however one wheel, referred to as variety 2, failing in July 2012. And a second (number four) gave up the ghost last month, robbing the craft of its exactness inform ability.
If a minimum of one among the failing wheels can't be recovered, Kepler's planet-hunting days square measure nearly actually over and a brand new mission can have to be compelled to be needed for the craft.
Engineers have known variety of tests that might facilitate gauge the chance of transfer back the balking wheels, Hunter aforesaid. they are presently developing these commands on the Kepler testbed at Ball part in Boulder, Colo., wherever the craft was designed.
"It can probably be many weeks before they're able to implement the commands on the reaction wheels aboard the craft," Hunter wrote within the June seven update. "We can still give updates on vital changes as these plans develop and mature."
More finds to come back
Whether or not Kepler will get healthy once more, the mission's exoplanet finds can keep rolling sure years to come back, researchers say.
Kepler has collected immense amounts of information, and team members have had time to travel through near to 1/2 it thus far.
"We have glorious information for a further 2 years," Kepler scientist Bill Borucki, conjointly of NASA Ames, told reporters last month. "So i feel the foremost attention-grabbing, exciting discoveries square measure returning within the next 2 years.
