Will this make NASA’s James Webb telescope obsolete before it gets off the ground?
Every deployed system is “obsolete”.
Well, the Webb Telescope will make the Hubble Telescope obsolete. The increased viewing distance will be simply amazing.
Of course the Webb Telescope will become obsolete at some point, but I’m sure this new technology will take a long time to mature.
Problem is, if the Webb Telescope doesn’t open properly or has any other issues when it reaches its stationary point in Space (approximately a million miles from Earth) it cannot be repaired.
That will be a real Fingers Crossed moment at NASA.
I doubt it. The Webb launches next year. But ten or 20 years from now, who knows?