News Astronomy

The planet-hunting Kepler space telescope is dead

The spacecraft’s mission is officially over after 9½ years

Kepler telescope illustration

KEPLER'S CURTAIN CALL NASA’s Kepler space telescope, shown in this artist’s illustration, found thousands of planets orbiting other stars. 

NASA

By Lisa Grossman

- More than 2 years ago

NASA’s premier planet-hunting space telescope is out of gas.

The Kepler space telescope can no longer search for planets orbiting other stars, ending its nearly 10-year mission, officials from the agency announced in a news conference on October 30.