NASA's Kepler planet-hunter in crisis as a THIRD major space telescope hits trouble

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Kepler has become the third NASA space telescope in as many weeks to hit major problems.

Chandra and Hubble both malfunctioned earlier this month, putting themselves in 'sleep mode'.

Now, NASA has revealed Chandra has done the same.

Following a successful return of data from the last observation campaign, the Kepler team commanded the spacecraft into position to begin collecting data for its next campaign. 

However, on Friday, 'during a regularly scheduled spacecraft contact using NASA’s Deep Space Network, the team learned that the spacecraft had transitioned to its no-fuel-use sleep mode.'

The Kepler team is currently assessing the cause and 'evaluating possible next steps.'

The aging exoplanet hunter is known to be dangerously low on fuel, and could be approaching the end of its useful life.