NASA Announces Briefing About Kepler’s Early Science Results
Editor’s’s note: According to multiple sources, Kepler has not found anything “new”. However it has successfully detected at least one previously discovered substellar object circling another star. In other words, this amazing little spacecraft works! In addition, new candidate exoplanets have also been discovered but await confirmation by other telescopes. The results of Kepler’s observations will appear in an article in this week’s edition of Science magazine.
WASHINGTON — NASA will hold a media briefing on Thursday, Aug. 6, at 2 p.m. EDT, to discuss early science results of the Kepler mission. Kepler is the first spacecraft with the ability to find Earth-size planets orbiting stars like our sun in a zone where liquid water could exist.
The televised briefing will be held in the James E. Webb Memorial Auditorium at NASA Headquarters, 300 E St. S.W., Washington.
The briefing participants are:
— Jon Morse, NASA’s Astrophysics Division director, NASA Headquarters
— William Borucki, Kepler science principal investigator, NASA’s Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
— Sara Seager, professor of planetary science and physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
— Alan Boss, astrophysicist, Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution, Washington
Reporters may also ask questions from participating NASA locations or by telephone. To reserve a telephone line, contact J.D. Harrington by e-mail at: j.d.harrington@nasa.gov
Kepler is a NASA Discovery mission. It was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., on March 6, 2009.
Besides being the home organization of the science principal investigator, NASA’s Ames Research Center is responsible for Kepler’s ground system development, mission operations and science data analysis.
Kepler mission development is managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. is responsible for developing the Kepler flight system and supporting mission operations.
For more information about NASA TV downlinks and streaming video, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
For more information about the Kepler mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/kepler
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