On Thursday evening, NASA’s Kepler space telescope received its final set of commands to disconnect communications with Earth. The “goodnight” commands finalize the spacecraft’s transition into retirement, which began on Oct. 30 with NASA’s announcement that Kepler had run out of fuel and could no longer conduct science.
Kepler Space Telescope Bid ‘Goodnight’ With Final Set of Commands | NASA
2009年から観測を続けていた、惑星探査衛星ケプラーが燃料枯渇のため運用を終了。「おやすみ」コマンドが送られて正式に引退となった。
Coincidentally, Kepler’s “goodnight” coincides with the anniversary of the death of its namesake, German astronomer Johannes Kepler, who discovered the laws of planetary motion and died 388 years ago on Nov. 15, 1630.
Kepler Space Telescope Bid ‘Goodnight’ With Final Set of Commands | NASA
運用終了の11月15日が天文学者ケプラーの命日と同じなのは、"Coincidentally"と言っているけど、まあ、合わせられるから合わせたぐらいの感じなんだろう。
