THE most extensive search yet for Earth-like planets that could harbour life beyond the solar system is due to start in the early hours of tomorrow with the launch of a spacecraft from Cape Canaveral. The Kepler probe is the first Nasa mission capable of finding habitable planets like our own in faraway regions of the galaxy. If all goes to plan, the probe will be blasted into space from the Florida site at 3.48am GMT atop a Delta II rocket, which will put the craft into a solar orbit that lags behind the Earth as it circles the Sun. – Guardian   Mon090309