re: KEPLER,- spellcheck: sismal - dismal.
By dismal, I don't mean dark, and something that does not matter, but something that, ok is small, but may bring rewards.
IOW, something that NASA was striving for some of those ten years ago... small and cheap, but may bring lots of info. Which again brings me to the point as to why not THEN?!
This mission has been a favorite of mine and for the life of me I can't understand why it took them so long to bring it forth to liftoff.