Webbs propellant tanks were filled independently with 79.5 l of dinitrogen tetroxide oxidizer and 159 l hydrazine. Oxidizer improves the burn performance of the hydrazine fuel.
The James Webb Space Telescope was fuelled inside the payload preparation facility at Europes Spaceport in French Guiana ahead of its launch on Ariane 5. Credit: ESA/CNES/Arianespace
The James Webb Space Telescope was fuelled inside the payload preparation facility at Europes Spaceport in French Guiana ahead of its launch on Ariane 5.
Webbs thrusters will use this propellant to make vital course-corrections after separation from Ariane 5, to preserve its prescribed orbit about one and a half million kilometers from Earth, and to repoint the observatory and manage its momentum during operations.
Sustaining any satellite is a particularly fragile operation requiring setup of the devices and connections, sustaining, and after that pressurization.
These propellants are incredibly harmful so just a few professionals wearing Self-Contained Atmospheric Protective Ensemble, or scape matches, stayed in the devoted fuelling hall for sustaining which took 10 days and ended on 3 December.
The next actions will start quickly for combined operations. When specialists working independently to prepare Webb and Ariane 5 will come together as one group, this is. They will put Webb atop its Ariane 5 launch vehicle and encapsulate it inside Ariane 5s fairing.
No longer visible, Webb, joined with its Ariane 5 launch automobile will be transferred to the Final Assembly structure for the last preparations prior to launch.
Webb will be the biggest, most powerful telescope ever launched into space. As part of an international partnership agreement, ESA is offering the telescopes launch service utilizing the Ariane 5 launch automobile. Dealing with partners, ESA was accountable for the advancement and certification of Ariane 5 adaptations for the Webb mission and for the procurement of the launch service by Arianespace.
Webb and Ariane 5: a fit made best. Ariane 5 has been customized to accommodate all the particular requirements of the Webb mission. New hardware makes sure that venting ports around the base of the fairing remain fully open. When the fairing rejects away from the launch car, this will minimize the shock of depressurization. Some aspects of Webb are sensitive to radiation from the Sun and heating by the atmosphere. To safeguard it after the fairing is rejected, Ariane 5 will perform a specially developed rolling maneuver to prevent any fixed position of the telescope relative to the Sun. In addition, an additional battery is set up on Ariane 5 to permit an increase to the upper stage after release of the telescope, distancing it from Webb. Credit: ESA
Webb is an international partnership between NASA, ESA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
They will position Webb atop its Ariane 5 launch lorry and encapsulate it inside Ariane 5s fairing.
Working with partners, ESA was responsible for the development and certification of Ariane 5 adaptations for the Webb mission and for the procurement of the launch service by Arianespace.
Ariane 5 has been personalized to accommodate all the particular requirements of the Webb mission. Furthermore, an extra battery is set up on Ariane 5 to allow a boost to the upper phase after release of the telescope, distancing it from Webb.
