Kepler Photometer: 3D Models of the Exoplanet-Hunting Spacecraft

NASA's Kepler Mission, launched in March 2009, surveyed a portion of the Milky Way to discover Earth-sized planets in habitable zones. This package includes 3D models of the Kepler spacecraft, its photometer, and solar array, created by Ball Aerospace. The models are provided in PDF format.

Use Cases

• Create educational visualizations based on the detailed 3D models of the Kepler spacecraft.
• Produce animations or simulations of the Kepler photometer's operation based on its structural model.
• Design museum exhibits or planetarium shows featuring accurate 3D representations of the Kepler solar array.
• Integrate spacecraft models into larger space mission simulations based on the provided components.

Strengths

• Models are directly associated with the scientifically significant Kepler exoplanet-hunting mission.
• Includes multiple components: the spacecraft, photometer, and solar array.
• Created by Ball Aerospace, the contractor that built the spacecraft hardware.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Likely contains engineering CAD models converted for distribution.

Time Range

Models relate to the Kepler spacecraft, launched in 2009.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-10 19:42:38.681363; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Models are of a spacecraft, with no specific terrestrial geography.