The Kepler instrument is designed to detect Earth size planets in the "habitable zone" orbiting 9<mv< 16, F through M type stars. A 0.95 m aperture Schmidt telescope feeds the 96 million pixel Kepler focal plane array resulting in similar to 13 degrees diameter FOV, so that greater than 100,000 suitable stars in the FOV are continuously monitored over a three and a half year mission. Detection of planetary transits is made possible through 20 ppm differential photometry using pixel data from a focal plane array specifically developed for Kepler. The Kepler focal plane array is suspended above the primary mirror and consists of twenty one 2K x 2K Science CCD modules mounted on a curved Invar substrate with four output taps per module. Four fine guidance sensor (FGS) CCD modules are mounted to the corners of the Invar substrate to gather additional pointing information for the Attitude Control System in order to attain the required <2.5 milli-pixel pointing accuracy. A space staring radiator and a closed loop thermal control system maintains the CCD module temperatures at -85 degrees C with <10mK thermal stability. Low noise electronics reads out both the Science and FGS CCD modules at a 3 MHz pixel rate. In order to achieve a 4-sigma detection of an Earth-sized planet orbiting a 12th magnitude Sun-like star, the overall noise budget allocates 150 e- to the read noise of each Science CCD module output. This paper discusses key elements of the Kepler focal plane array design, development, characterization and performance results.

The Kepler mission will launch in 2007 and determine the distribution of earth-size planets (0.5 to 10 earth masses) in the habitable zones (HZs) of solar-like stars. The mission will monitor > 100,000 dwarf stars simultaneously for at least 4 years. Precision differential photometry will be used to detect the periodic signals of transiting planets. Kepler will also support asteroseismology by measuring the pressure-mode (p-mode) oscillations of selected stars. Key mission elements include a spacecraft bus and 0.95meter, wide-field, CCD-based photometer injected into an earth-trailing heliocentric orbit by a 3-stage Delta II launch vehicle as well as a distributed Ground Segment and Follow-up Observing Program. The project is currently preparing for Preliminary Design Review (October 2004) and is proceeding with detailed design and procurement of long-lead components. In order to meet the unprecedented photometric precision requirement and to ensure a statistically significant result, the Kepler mission involves technical challenges in the areas of photometric noise and systematic error reduction, stability, and false-positive rejection. Programmatic and logistical challenges include the collaborative design, modeling, integration, test, and operation of a geographically and functionally distributed project. A very rigorous systems engineering program has evolved to address these challenge. This paper provides an overview of the Kepler systems engineering program, including some examples of our processes and techniques in areas such as requirements synthesis, validation & verification, system robustness design, and end-to-end performance modeling.

The Kepler Mission is a search for terrestrial planets specifically designed to detect Earth-size planets in the habitable zones of solar-like stars. In addition, the mission has a broad detection capability for a wide range of planetary sizes, planetary orbits and spectral types of stars. The mission is in the midst of the developmental phase with good progress leading to the preliminary design review later this year. Long lead procurements are well under way. An overview in all areas is presented including both the flight system (photometer and spacecraft) and the ground system. Launch is on target for 2007 on a Delta II.