Instructions for Building a Kepler Paper Model

Version 3.0 Mar 3, 2010

You need the following files:
File Sheet # Printer Paper Color
Kepler_model_instructions.pdf plain b/w
Photometer.pdf 1 Photo stock color
Photometer_parts.pdf 2 Photo stock color
Spacecraft_Base.pdf 3 Photo stock color
Spacecraft_parts.pdf 4 Photo stock color

Other materials:
One soda straw. Three toothpicks. Heavy flat transparent plastic from store
packaging, about 2 inches square. About 2 in square of aluminum foil. Paper
glue (glue stick). Glue gun or plastic cement (just because it is faster drying).
Black spray paint. Scotch tape. A few feet of thread.

Tools:
Scissors, hand held single-hole punch, metal ruler or other good straight-edge,
sharp knife or Exacto-knife.

Tip: It is helpful to have a copy of the 4 sheets of uncut parts to refer to

orientation and other reference marks, while assembling the cut parts.

Steps:
1. Print the files indicated above on photo stock or other heavy weight
paper. IMPORTANT After printing, measure the 6 inch scales on the
sheets to make sure they are six inches. If not check your postscript
printing options to see if the printer is resizing to fit the page. If you can’t
use photo stock or card stock, glue the plain paper to card stock or manila
folders and then cut out. Costco sells 125 sheets of photo paper for about
$19.

These are the settings to check for on a PC.

1
 These are the settings to check for on a Mac.

Preparation:
2. Spray the back of sheet 1 with flat black paint. Let Dry.

Photometer Construction:
3. Cut out the sunshade (part 1) and photometer tube (part 2) from sheet 1.
4. Glue the ends of the Sunshade part 1 together. The black goes on the
inside. The narrow end should sit flat against a flat surface. (The wide end
will also form a flat circle.) Use a small piece of tape to secure the ends
until the glue sets.
5. Cut the 4 slits into the side of (part 2) as indicated by the special marks.
Make a conical-cylinder out of the photometer tube with the black on the
inside. Fold the tabs into the center of the tube. Cut out Ring-2 (part 5).
Tip: Cut out the center first and then cut around the outside. Glue the ring
(part 5) onto the tabs on part 2.
6. Cut out the radiator (part 3). Curve the radiator by dragging it over the
edge of a table. Fold the tabs so a cross section of the part looks like

this… . Put glue on the inside ends of the tabs and slip
the 4 tabs half way into the slits in the side of the photometer tube. Fold
the ends of the tabs onto the inside of the photometer tube. A little piece of
Scotch tape on each tab will keep them in place until the glue hardens.
7. Create the focal plane spider. Cut out the two focal
plane spider pieces (parts 6). Cut on solid line to
centers and 1/4 in from right edge. Fold on
horizontal dotted line. TIP: Use a good straight
edge like a metal ruler to make crisp folds. Then
unfold. Apply glue only along region K, but not

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 the last 1/4 inch. Fold back ends J to form a T. Apply glue to region J on
both pieces, but not the last 1/4 inch. Glue the 2 Ts together to form a
cross. Finally fold the last 1/4 inch back on each end to form the shape
shown above.
8. Cut out part 7. Make cuts next to the tabs as indicated. Fold the tabs and
the sides to form a box. Unfold the box, apply glue to the tabs and refold
the box, securing the tabs on the inside of the box. The pointed ends
should stick out. Let the glue harden. In the mean time cut out parts 8, 10
and 12 (do NOT cut out the center of part 10.)
9. After the glue for part 7 has set, slip the spider legs (part 6) into the box
(the center of the cross is in the center of the box. (It only slides to the
halfway point into the box.) Fold the pointy ends of the box down. Cut out
part 8 and glue the focal plane onto the center of the spider-box. Let the
glue set.
Making the Mirror
10. There are four options for the mirror;
a. Use part 9 only,
b. Glue a piece of aluminum foil to the back of part 9. Then cut out
part 9. Now call the foil side the front.
c. Make an aluminum mirror with the appropriate curvature by
pressure forming. For this see the Advanced version of the Mirror
at the very end of the instructions.
d. You can also chose to skip the mirror (Parts 9, 10, 11 and 12.).
11. Cut out part 10, if you have not already done so. Do NOT cut out the
center of this part. Fold all the tabs down when looking at the letters L-M-
N. Cut out part 12. Apply glue to all the tabs of part 10 and to one side of
part 12. Wrap part 12 around the tabs on part 10. A piece of tape on the
part 12 joint will hold it in place until the glue sets. Cut out parts 11, 3
pieces. Fold them into C’s. Glue them to the three places on the back of the
“mirror” at locations L-M-N. Place your “mirror” (part 9) face down on
the table. Apply glue to the edge of the mirror rim part 12 and stick part 9-
10 to the back of the mirror.
12. Cut out parts 13 and 14. Do NOT cut out the center of part 14.Note the
orientation point A arrow on part 14. Cut the 4 slits in part 14. Form part
13 into a collar and insert 4 tabs on one side of the collar into the 4 slits on
the shaded side of part 14. Apply glue to the 4 tabs. Fold them over and
apply small pieces of tape to each one
to make sure the glue sticks well. See
Figure 3. You don’t want these to
come loose later since there is no way
to repair them.

13. Install the spider into the photometer..

Apply glue to the feet on the 4 ends of
the spider assembly. Insert it into the
photometer tube from the wide end to
the point where the circular seam is on
the outside. The “CCDs” should face Figure 1
the “mirror”, bottom. See Figure 1.

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14. Apply glue to the 3 tabs L-M-N on the back of the mirror and glue the
mirror to the inside of the photometer base, the side opposite part 13, the
collar. Let the glue set, while cutting out parts 4 and 15. Tip: Cut out the
inside of part 4 before cutting around the outside.
15. Fold the tabs on part 14 up, towards the mirror. See Figure 2. Note the
location of the arrow on part 14, the photometer base. Apply glue to the
tabs and to the inside of the wide end of the photometer tube. Align the
arrow on part 14 with the seam on the photometer tube. Slide part 14 into
the wide end of the photometer
tube. See Figure 3.
16. Cut out parts 4 and 15, if you have
not already done so. Use part 15
as a template to make the Schmidt
corrector plate. That is, use part 15
to cut out a disk of stiff heavy-
duty transparent plastic, usually
used in packaging.
17. Fold the tabs of part 4. Apply glue
to the ring inside of the folded
tabs and place the “Schmidt Figure 3
corrector plate” on the ring inside
the folded tabs. Apply glue to the outside of the tabs of part 4 and the
inside of the narrow end of the sunshade part 1. With the narrow end of
the sunshade on a flat surface, lower part 4 with the Schmidt corrector
down into the inside of the sunshade all the way to the flat surface. Press
the tabs of part 4 against the inside of the sunshade. Allow to set.
18. Carefully mark positions A, B and C on the back of part 16 for future
reference. Then cut out part 16 on sheet 3. Do NOT cut out the center.
19. Apply glue to the top ring of the photometer, part 5, and the bottom of the
sunshade part 4. Note the location of the seams on parts 1 and 2. These
must be 180° apart, that is opposite each other, NOT aligned with each
other. The low side of the sunshade should be on the same side of the
photometer tube as the radiator, part 3. See Figure 3

You are finished with the Photometer.

Spacecraft Construction
20. (If you have not already done so, mark positions A, B and C on the back of
part 16 for future reference. Cut out the part 16 from sheet 3. Cut around
outside edges only. Do not cut out the center.)
21. Make 4 wide slits in the inner ring of part 16. Twist your knife to make
the slits broad, since the photometer collar tabs and Payload attachment
Fitting have to both go through the same slits, one from above and the
other from below
22. As a fit check of the final assembly, try to slide the 4 tabs of the
photometer collar into the 4 slits in the spacecraft base from the
“unprinted” side of the spacecraft base so you can see how well the tabs
and slits align. Make any adjustments in the slits now so it is an easy fit.

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 Later you will have to do this “blindly” with the photometer base fitting
down into the hexagonal spacecraft base.

23. Tip: Use a good

straight edge like a
metal ruler to make
crisp folds on part 16.
Fold the six side
panels with gold
colored equipment
boxes on the outside
to form a hexagonal
(6-sided) base for the
spacecraft with the
gold boxes facing out.
Glue the "Fold Tab In"
to the inside of the
adjacent side panel.
See Figure 4.
Figure 4
24. First note the
positions of letters A, B, C, G and H on part 18 then cut out parts 17 and 18
from sheet 3. Tip: Cut out the insides of parts 17 & 18 before cutting
around the outsides.
25. Slip the spacecraft base part 16 through part 17 and glue down the tabs.
Glue part 18 to the top of the base, aligning the hole for the boom to
position B on the spacecraft base.
26. Cut out part 21. Cut a slit in part 21 the antenna dish. Overlap the ends of
the dish to the point marked on the edge and glue to form a dish. Set this
aside for later until the glue sets.
27. Cut part 22 the boom elbow from sheet 4. Fold part 22 in half.
28. Cut a straw to the lengths and at the angles indicated below.

D E F
Using a glue gun, fill the ends of the straw pieces at the angled cut with
glue. (Plastic cement will not work for this!) Quickly insert the elbow part
22 into each end of the two parts so that the straw now forms a right
angle.
29. Now cut two more pieces from the straw to the lengths shown below.

Split these each on one side only along the length. Slide the shorter piece
over part D of the above elbow and the longer piece over the two parts E
& F to join them. Do not use glue.
30. Slide the D end of the boom assembly through hole B in the spacecraft
base and securely tape the sleeve on the D part of the boom to the inside
walls of the spacecraft. The boom should be able to rotate freely inside the
sleeve. See Figure 4.

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31. With a hole punch, carefully punch out the center of the dish, part 21.
32. Cut the sharp tips off a tooth pick. Cut the tooth pick into three equal
length pieces about 1/2 inch long each. Using a glue gun or plastic cement
(that dries quickly) glue the ends of the three tooth picks to the three dots
on the antenna dish part 21 and then glue the three legs to a hole punch to
form a tripod. Set aside for the cement to harden. See Figure 5.
33. Cut the solar array part 24 from sheet 4. Cut the three slits in the bottom
and fold the bottom. Fold the panels to match the shape of 4 sides of the
spacecraft base.
34. If desired punch a tiny hole in the center of the solar array along the center
fold and pull a thread through the hole. Tie the thread around a small
piece of tooth pick so that the knot doesn’t pull through the hole.
35. First note the points G & H for part 19 then cut out part 19, the HGA
cradle. (HGA stands for High gain antenna). Fold the tab and glue to
position C on the top of the spacecraft base. Using fast drying cement or a
glue gun, glue one tooth pick from point G on part 4 to the G position
along the inside of the spacecraft base. The end of the tooth pick should
reach down to where the fold is in part 16 between the bottom and the
side. See Figures 4 & 5. Likewise, glue one tooth pick from point H on part
19 to the H position along the inside of the spacecraft base. Let the glue
harden.
36. Cut out part 20. Using a glue gun, glue the antenna dish part 21 to the
front of the HGA back panel part 20, that is glue it to the side without any
printing. See Figure 5.
37. Fill the end of the antenna boom F with glue from the glue gun and slip
the folded tab on part 22 into the glue in the antenna boom end. See
Figure 5.
38. Slide the long slit straw piece from step 24 over the E-end of the antenna
boom elbow and then slip the F-end of the straw glued to the HGA into
the slit straw on the antenna boom. See Figures 4 & 5.
39. The back of the HGA should now be able to be stowed against the HGA
cradle, part 19. See Figure 6.

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40. Cut out part 23 The payload attachment fitting.
41. Mount the photometer to the spacecraft. This takes patience. First note
where position A should be on the spacecraft base, 2 panels over from the
boom on one side and 2 panels over from the HGA on the other side. This
is the location for the back seam on the photometer and high side of the
sunshade. The arrow on the bottom of the photometer base should point
to position A on the spacecraft base. If you haven’t done the fit check in
step 22, do it now from the bottom up into the spacecraft base so you can
see the slits. Now insert the base of the photometer into the hexagonal
spacecraft base. See Figure 6. Patiently, jiggle it until all 4 tabs come out of
the bottom of the base. Apply glue to the outer facing surface of these 4
tabs. Apply glue to the inner surface of part 23 at the 4 tab locations. Slip
the 4 tabs of part 23 into the same 4 slits that the tabs from the collar are
coming out of, with part 23 on the outside of the photometer collar tabs.
Press the tabs against part 23 and make sure they are well glued. Finally
add glue to the overlapping end of part 23 to form a ring. See Figure 7.

42. Glue the Solar array assembly to the

spacecraft base assembly, noting the
location of the orientation point A on the
two assemblies. The fold in the center of
the solar array should be aligned with
the back seam on the photometer tube.

Congratulations. You have completed your

paper model of the Kepler satellite.

The model was created by David Koch

using data from Ball Aerospace. Comments
about the model are welcome. Send to Figure 7.
DKoch @ mail . arc . nasa . gov

Additional information about the Kepler Mission can be found on the Kepler
web site at http://Kepler.NASA.gov

Advanced version of the Mirror

This involves pressure forming of the aluminum foil, requiring an air pump
and shop skills to make the pressure forming components. The air pressure
needed is under 20 psi.

1. Start with 2 pieces of plywood 3/8 or 1/2 inch thick and about 4x4
inches.
2. Use a 2 1/4 inch diameter hole saw to cut a hole in one board.
3. Drill a hole in the center of the other board for the pressure hose
connection. I drilled a hole somewhat smaller than the thread diameter on
the brass fitting on the end of the pressure hose and just screwed it into
the plywood. It “self-threaded” into the wood.

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4. Now place 4 squares of foil between the two pieces of plywood and
clamp at all four corners. I actually clamped one side in my workbench
vise and used C-clamps on the other 2 corners. The foil needs to be
clamped tight, so it stretches and not slips when the pressure is applied.
5. Now apply a small amount of air pressure to make the foil curve out by
only 1/8 inch.
6. I used Heavy Duty aluminum foil and found that a single sheet “pops”
at about 15 psi. Also, with 15 psi the curvature is too much. So I tried 4
sheets and at 20 psi got about 1/8 depth. This is about correct for the
diameter of the mirror and the radius of curvature. The radius of
curvature is the distance from the mirror to the Schmidt corrector. It
seems that you need about 5 psi per number of sheets of foil used at once.
7. After forming the “mirror”, lay the untrimmed foil on a flat surface
with the “front” of the mirror toward the flat surface. Apply glue around
the edge of the mirror rim (step 11 above), not to the foil. Stick the mirror
rim to the “back” of the foil. After the glue sets, trim the foil.

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 Sun shade Photometer
Sheet 1
Part 1
Orientation
point A
6 inch scale

Part 2

Make slits in
the 4 places on
Part 2 as indicated
by these marks
for Part 3
Part 3
Fold lines

Focal plane radiator

Part 4

Ring-1
Cut out center
Ring is bottom of
the sunshade

Photo
VERY IMPORTANT
m eter Tu
be
Check length with a ruler to insure printer does not change scale
If both scales are not 6 inches see instruction sheet on how to fix the printer settings
6 inch scale,
 Parts 6 Sheet 2
Photometer Parts Part 14

Focal plane spider

Part 5

K
Ring-2
Cut out center
Ring is top of the
photometer tube

J
Part 13
Orientation point A
Photometer Base
Collar for between photometer and spacecraft
The scale is used to verify that the printer software is not scaling to a different size

Part 10
Part 7 Part 8
cut
M

cut
tab

tab

CCD Focal plane L

tab

tab cut N

Focal plane
6 inch scale

cut Electronics box Mirror back plate

Part 12

Mirror edge
Fold lines Part 9
Part 15 Parts 11
N

Use circle
as a template
for cutting the
M

Schmidt corrector
from a piece of
hard heavy clear
L

plastic

Mirror mounts
6 inch scale Mirror
 Spacecraft Base
Sheet 3
Part 16

in
t Fol
d

Tab
ou Tab
ab ou
ld T

ld
Fo t

Fo
Corner for Front and center
antenna
of solar arrray

in
boom

Tab
Positon A

ld
Position B

Fo
Fold Tab in

Fold Tab out

Fold Tab out
6 inch scale

Fold Tab in

Fo
ld
It helps to mark positions

Tab
A, B and C on the back

in
side of the part
Part 16a
for future reference.
Fol
Fo

t d
ou
ld

Tab
Tab ou
Tab

nC Fol
d t
tio na
in

o s i
n
d le P ante
cra e for
Sid
Part 17
Part 18 A
Cut out the inside
Cut out the inside along grey lines first.
along grey lines first Glue this piece on top of the
Then cut along the outside base frame to cover the tabs,
Slip this over the aligning the hexagons. Position
G the hole on corner B of the
hexagonal spacecraft
up to the tabs. spacecraft
Glue the tabs onto Antenna boom
this ring clearance hole B
Use a hole punch H
C

IMPORTANT
6 inch scale,
Check length with a ruler to insure printer does not change scale
If both scales are not 6 inches see instruction sheet on how to fix the printer settings
 Spacecraft Parts Orientation Point A Sheet 4
Fold line Fold line Fold line

Part 24
Solar
Array
6 inch scale

Fold line
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .

Slit only up to horizontal fold line in 3 places E

Parts 21 Part 19
. G H Part 22

slit . Cut out D

Elbow for fold
. antenna boom
Slip inside ends
fold
Antenna Dish tab of two straws D & E
E
HGA cradle
Part 23 Part 20

F
fold

Payload Attachment Fitting. Form into a circular band.

Slip tabs into slits in the middle of the base ring only after attaching
photometer to spacecraft (the last thing to do before attaching the solar array) fold
6 inch scale HGA back panel