Launched today. Will search an area of 3000 light years in our neighbor arm, the sagittarius arm, for earth-like planets. Expected haul, 500.
2010-07-26: After finding more planets in the first year of the Kepler mission than all previous efforts combined: “earth-sized planets are common in the galaxy”

2011-02-01: Transit requires the right inclination for detection, and is quite unlikely, which means there should be 10k as many planets out there than they found. about 12M.
2013-11-23: Using a solar sail approach. Clever

NASA outlines ingenious plan to resurrect the Kepler planet hunter. “K2” mission would use its solar panels as a pointing device.

2015-12-15: Really awesome visualization about all the solar systems yet discovered.

2021-10-27: The final haul was 2662.

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