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NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, which launched in 2009 | No More




NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, which launched in 2009 and revolutionized our vision of the galaxy and the universe over the past decade, is now permanently retired and out of service. 
The space agency first saw signs Kepler was running out of gas earlier this year and last week the telescope went into a low-fuel sleep mode. NASA said Tuesday that the spacecraft won't be waking up.
2:57
"Science operations are over," NASA astrophysics division director Paul Hertz told reporters on a conference call.
He noted that Kepler was able to confirm scientists' suspicions that space is filled with planets similar to Earth. Kepler's catalog of confirmed planets beyond our solar system includes over 2,600 worlds and dozens that could potentially support alien life. While the telescope is done collecting new data, Hertz says astronomers are still working with what's been collected over the years.
"Kepler data will continue to yield scientific discoveries for years to come."
When the spacecraft's "low fuel light" came on earlier this year, the Kepler team began to take measures to ensure that all remaining data could be recovered and downloaded before it went dark for good.
"In the end we didn't have a drop of fuel leftover for anything else," said Kepler project system engineer Charlie Sobeck.

This oil painting depicts Kepler among some of the many exoplanets it helped astronomers discover.  NASA/Wendy Stenzel/Daniel Rutter

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