Posted on 12/21/2021 7:27:43 AM PST by Red Badger
Artist’s impression of the James Webb Space Telescope (Webb), folded in the Ariane 5 rocket during launch from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Credit: ESA – D. Ducros
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On December 17 the Ariane 5 rocket fairing was closed around the James Webb Space Telescope. This protective fairing, or ‘nose cone’, will shield the telescope during liftoff and its journey through the atmosphere on December 24.
Last week, Webb was placed on top of Ariane 5 and a protective ‘shower curtain’ was put up to avoid any contamination.
VIDEO AT LINK............
On the day of encapsulation in the fairing, a protective cover on top of Webb was removed and the fairing was lowered down over the observatory and locked in place for liftoff.
This was a particularly delicate operation, assisted by a laser guiding system, because the margins between the folded up observatory (4.5 m wide) and the rocket fairing (5.4 m wide) are small.
The fairing is equipped with specialized environmental controls that keep the observatory in a perfectly controlled temperature and humidity range during its final few days on Earth.
Now that Webb has been securely attached to its Ariane 5 launch vehicle, and enclosed within its protective fairing, mechanical operations involving the observatory at its launch site in French Guiana have formally concluded.
Ariane 5’s rollout to the launch pad is scheduled to begin Wednesday, December 22 , and this is where final health checks and preparations for liftoff will occur.
Webb will be the largest, most powerful telescope ever launched into space. As part of an international collaboration agreement, ESA is providing the telescope’s launch service using the Ariane 5 launch vehicle. Working with partners, ESA was responsible for the development and qualification of Ariane 5 adaptations for the Webb mission and for the procurement of the launch service by Arianespace.
Webb is an international partnership between NASA, ESA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA)
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PINGY!...............
Looks like a really bid Christmas ornament.
Needs more cowbell....................
Like I’ve said before...IF this thing works, it’ll give us some cool-beyond-belief info about The Black and what’s out there.
BUT...there’s so much complexity with this thing just getting into position AND working exactly as it’s supposed to with practically ZERO margin for error.
At best, I’ll give it a 50-50 chance that it works. If it does, I’ll take my crow deep-fried with cream gravy.
If this thing actually works, it will be amazing
It will work.
I just worry about sabotage........................
Sabotage?
By whom???
I’ve not heard that word brought up before. Who in the world would attempt sabotage?
This is going to be something! This is a much better use of resources than sending people up there to see how fast their bones dissolve.
Or leaving the Taliban over $85 billion in military arms.
This is going to be something! This is a much better use of resources than sending people up there to see how fast their bones dissolve.
Somebody that doesn’t want the US to be in the scientific lead..................
The potential for discovery is great as is the chance for failure.
I bet they forgot to remove the lock on the fairing prior to lift off.
(Launching Christmas Day, at least for the time being)
NASA and the astronomy community have poured $10 billion and more than two decades into just one piece of machinery. Now they are facing the moment of truth.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, also known as Webb or JWST, is finally in French Guiana, perched atop its rocket, ready to bid farewell to Earth and begin the long trek out to space. It has overcome loose screws, testing missteps, a Congressional cancellation, a pandemic and even the small risk of being hijacked by pirates on its way to the launch site. The project is so vast that it has shaped the agency as much as the agency has shaped it.30 years and $10 billion later, the James Webb Space Telescope is finally on the launch pad | Meghan Bartels | about 8 hours ago | Space.com
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