NASA is looking for other applications for the satellite
The American space agency announced that efforts to repair the "Kepler" space telescope have failed, and now they are looking for a scientific use for the telescope in its limited state. Last year, one of the four transmission wheels that make it possible to direct the telescope was damaged, and three months ago another wheel was disabled. NASA says that the satellite can continue to fly in this state, but it is not possible to direct its telescope, which is designed to search for planets in distant solar systems. The possibility of using the space telescope to study asteroids or comets is now being considered.
The Kepler telescope was launched about four years ago. So far, more than a hundred planets and thousands more stars that may have planets have been discovered with the help of the data he collected.
For news on the subject in Universe Today
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These are reaction wheels made by ITHACO
At this moment beings from a thousand galaxies are watching and seeing how stupid the humans are who installed wheels of this company
It seems that the telescope has discovered another inhabited star in our galaxy and NASA is trying to hide it so as not to panic the public.
I was sure we would see more conspiratorial comments here that maybe they discovered something and are now trying to hide it by disabling the telescope, but I'm glad to see that I was wrong.
Maybe it can still be fixed. Various spare parts, including transmission wheels, must be sent to the space station. If there is still enough fuel left to change the trajectory of the telescope so that it is in formation flight with the space station. One or two astronauts will come out of it with a toolbox and the necessary spare parts and will make the necessary repairs. It may be worth sending another unit to the space station, but it will be equipped with fuel tanks that will be used to refuel satellites. It will be the first time that the space station will also be used as a hangar for repairing satellites. It will be a first and important opportunity to gain experience in this field.
sad too bad
What a shame, I didn't even know it was broken 🙁