James Webb Space Telescope moved one step further important for a long awaited release. It has just completed an intense period of testing needed to make sure this most sophisticated space observatory ever launched into orbit is working as planned. After the completion of this stage, the operation will begin to send the telescope to the city of Kourou in French Guiana, where the launch will take place. Preparations for the trip should be completed in September.
At this point, the teams will no longer be anxious to demonstrate that the telescope will survive launch, but rather ensure that it arrives safely at base during the big day. “With the completion of the integration and testing, the James Webb Telescope has reached an important turning point on the road to launch,” commented Gregory L. Robinson, Program Director for James Webb. “We have extremely dedicated staff who have brought us to the finish line and we are thrilled to see that the telescope is ready to launch and is on its way to a scientific journey soon,” he said.
While the dispatch operations continue, other teams are checking the status of the communications network that the telescope will use in space, which is showing good performance. Once in French Guiana, the launch processing teams will check for any damage during transport, and will set up the telescope for flight and place it in the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Ariane 5 rocket for later use. We will take you to the launch pad.
After launch, the telescope will go through a six-month commissioning period. After exiting the rocket, James Webb’s solar panel will be deployed automatically and further procedures will be initiated by the ground control teams. The telescope will take a month to reach the desired location and will slowly unfold its components as it progresses. Research is expected to begin six months after launch.
James Webb is an international program led by NASA with partners such as ESA and the Canadian Space Agency, building on the legacy of previous missions. It will be the largest scientific observatory in the world, which will be able to answer questions about the solar system, observe distant worlds orbiting other stars, and study the origin of the universe. after decade of delay, the release should will happen in November 2021…
A source: NASA
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