Kepler preparation progress

From the Kepler website.
http://kepler.nasa.gov/about/news.html

The News section wrote:

• July 2008: Complete flight segment comprehensive performance test done, as well as acoustics, vibration, and pyro-shock tests.
  
• June 2008: Solar array and reaction wheel assemblies installed
  
• May 2008: Photometer integrated with spacecraft bus

According to the Kepler web site,

Quote :

Spring 2009. Actual launch date is
necessarily subject to change, but (as of 2008 Oct 1) the actual launch
date was set for 2009 March 4, 10:46 pm EST.

(emphasis mine)

And by the way, after Kepler is launched, If nobody has an issue with it, I'll probably rename this thread and move it to News and Discoveries to be a sort of Kepler Results thread (in concert with the CoRoT Results).

According to the NASA website, at http://www.nasa.gov/missions/highlights/schedule.html, the launch date is actually Apr 10.

Date: April 10
Mission: Kepler
Launch Vehicle: United Launch Alliance Delta II
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station - Launch Complex 17 - Pad 17-B

Update from that website,

Date: March 5 *
Mission: Kepler
Launch Vehicle: United Launch Alliance Delta II
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station - Launch Complex 17 - Pad 17-B

Ohh nice it got pushed somewhat forward.

I do wonder though with the economy how it is if nasa's going to be able to continue with it....((sorry if this issue isn't relevant to the forum or what not if it isn't trash that part))

Darkness nova wrote:

I do wonder though with the economy how it is if nasa's going to be able to continue with it.

I'm sure NASA will be able to go ahead with it. I don't think the economy will get that bad that fast. I would be more worried about the continued use of the spacecraft after it's launched.

JPL Website reports that Kepler is ready to be sent over to Florida.

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2008-240


Edit: On the Kepler mission page, there's a nifty countdown clock. 75 days to launch.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/kepler/main/index.html

Oh sweet, Kepler is looking above the ecliptic plane. I wonder how many new high inclination asteroids it will find. Even better if it find a small, high inclination planet, too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kepler_Mission#Mission_details
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/kepler/multimedia/images/kepler-field-of-view-photo.html
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/kepler/multimedia/images/fov-kepler-drawing.html

Kepler has arrived in Florida.

54 days until launch.

28 days until launch. Anyone but me getting excited? Or having anxiety over the slight chance of a launch failure?

I really hope the rocket doesn't blow up.

It should make it.

Yeah, it should. Delta II is reliable.

14 days until launch.

The spacecraft is now on its way to the launch pad.

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
The Kepler Mission begins to collect data immediately after commissioning and produces results in a progressive fashion shortly thereafter. The first results come in just a few months, when the giant inner planets with orbital periods of only a few days are detected. Objects that are in Mercury-like orbits of a few months, are detected using the data collected during the first year.
After several months of data processing and confirmation by ground-based telescopes, scientists hope to announce their first results approximately in December 2009 at NASA Headquarters during a NASA Science Update briefing about giant planets found in short-period orbits.
Approximately in December 2010, scientists expect to announce any discoveries they have made in the first year. This will be the first possible announcement of Earth-size planets in the habitable zones of M-type stars, which are stars smaller and cooler than the sun. Discovery of Earth-size planets in Earth-like orbits requires nearly the full lifetime of the 3.5 year mission, although in some cases three transits are seen in just a little more than two years. Other results that require the full 3.5 years of data are: Planets as small as Mars in short period orbits, which utilizes the addition of dozens or more transits to be detectable; and the detection of giant-inner planets that do not transit the star, but do periodically modulate the apparent brightness due to reflected light from the planet.
Approximately in December 2011, scientists are expected to announce any discoveries made during the first two years of the mission. The announcement will be made at NASA Headquarters and later at the January 2012 American Astronomical Society (AAS) meeting held in Seattle, Wa., as well as at NASA’s Ames Research Center. This will be the first possible announcement of Earth-size planets in the habitable zones of K-type stars.
Around December 2012, scientists are expected to announce any discoveries made during the first three years of the mission. The announcement will be made at NASA Headquarters and later at the AAS meeting held in Austin, Texas, as well as at NASA’s Ames Research Center. This is the first possible announcement of Earth-size planets in the habitable zones of solar-like or G stars.

Uhm , sounds tasty

Let's hope it doesn't go the way of the (non-)Orbiting Carbon Observatory...

http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/taurus.htm
Taurus unreliable missile. Was only one successful launch before the current setback

http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau_fam/thor.htm
Last failure Delta II - 05.05.1999. After that 60 consecutive successful launches.

But I don't like waiting... >w<

7 days until launch.
Looks like they're getting ready to attach Kepler to the rocket.

Kepler has been delayed a day for rocket checks. Apparently, there are some hardware that the Delta II and Taurus rocket have in common, and they want to ensure that what happened to the OCO doesn't happen to Kepler.
Better safe than sorry.

Pretty -->

Launch is tomorrow... anyone planning on watching it live on NASA TV?

Edit: 5 hours remaining.

Successful Launch of Kepler!!!

Separation complete !

Space craft inserted into nominal final trajectory at 23,700 MPH.

Here's a link to a gorgeous launch picture.

Kepler Take Off! on Delta II

Well that's good.