If you want to study the stars you need a telescope out in space, NASA must have thought when it launched the Kelpler Space Telescope in March 2009. Named after astronomer Johannes Kepler, the space observatory was launched in an Earth-trailing heliocentric orbit. It was supposed to be a mission that lasted three and a half years, but ended up surviving nearly nine years.

Now the space telescope which allowed observers on Earth to study a huge number of planets and stars has just enough fuel left for a few more months. Once it ends, NASA says that the mission will be over as contact with the space telescope will be lost. However, that doesn’t mean that the human beings will not have other sources of data in the future.

NASA is all set to launch Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite or TESS to help search for other planets that could support life. The launch for TESS is planned for April 16th from Florida. The advantage of new technology will allow TESS to see more, and share more tha what Kepler ever could. This is one follow up science project from which the researchers at NASA can expect to learn a whole lot more.