Kepler Space Telescope
LocationSolar orbit
Year2009
Size0.95 m aperture
TypeExoplanet hunter
About Kepler Space Telescope
Found more than 2,600 confirmed exoplanets. Stared at a single patch of sky in Cygnus and Lyra, watching stars dim as planets passed in front. Showed that planets are common around other stars. Continued as the K2 mission after a reaction wheel failure. Retired in November 2018.