NASA on Thursday will announce "major new discoveries" from its Kepler space telescope mission, including "another Earth," according to news reports.
Kepler began its effort in March 2009,
The Independent reports. Its goal was to search out and map the universe, seeking out Earth-like planets that could be inhabited because they are the ideal distance from a star.
The space telescope detects planets by measuring the light from stars, which dims when a planet passes before them. This detection
requires a very precise measurement.
"The first exoplanet orbiting another star like our sun was discovered in 1995," NASA said in a statement reported by the Independent. "Exoplanets, especially small Earth-size worlds, belonged within the realm of science fiction just 21 years ago.
"Today, and thousands of discoveries later, astronomers are on the cusp of finding something people have dreamed about for thousands of years — another Earth," the space agency said.
Kepler has since confirmed more than 1,000 planets and over 3,000 potential planets — in various sizes and locations throughout the galaxy, the Independent reports.