Given what the previous instrument taught us, the science questions change, so the instruments you need also change. For instance, it surprised everyone when i

Given what the previous instrument taught us, the science questions change, so the instruments you need also change. For instance, it surprised everyone when it turned out that most stars are more variable than the Sun is, and this extra variability has complicated the Kepler data analysis. Additionally, you can incorporate lessons learned (from an engineering perspective, not science) into the next instrument. Some things work well and are preserved, and others don't. Here's a link to some tech awards relevant to future exoplanet instruments: http://exep.jpl.nasa.gov/technology/ http://exep.jpl.nasa.gov/technology/