Vote Now! Best Space Stories of the Week - July 14, 2013

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Kepler Spacecraft Should Pin Down 'Alien Earth' Planets Despite Glitch

NASA.

Health issues have likely ended the planet-hunting activities of NASA's Kepler spacecraft. But the mission should be able to accomplish its main goal — determining the frequency of Earthlike planets around the Milky Way — with the data it's already gathered, researchers say. [Full Story]

NEXT: Sun's 2013 Solar Activity Peak Is Weakest in 100 Years

Sun's 2013 Solar Activity Peak Is Weakest in 100 Years

Hathaway/NASA/MSFC

This year's solar maximum is shaping up to be the weakest in 100 years and the next one could be even more quiescent, scientists said Thursday (July 11). [Full Story]

NEXT: Superman's Origins Possibly Born from Star Explosion

Superman's Origins Possibly Born from Star Explosion

DC Comics

Nova Herculis may have inspired the creators of Superman to change the super hero's creation story from time travel to space travel. [Full Story]

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Space.com Staff
Space.com Staff
News and editorial team

Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.