December 23, 2024

James Webb Space Telescope Launch Postponed – Here’s Why and the New Launch Date

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is the next of NASAs Great Observatories; following in the line of the Hubble Space Telescope, the Compton Gamma-ray Observatory, the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and the Spitzer Space Telescope. JWST integrates qualities of 2 of its predecessors, observing in infrared light, like Spitzer, with fine resolution, like Hubble. Credit: NASA, SkyWorks Digital, Northrop Grumman, STScI
NASA and Arianespace effectively finished the Launch Readiness Review for the James Webb Space Telescope on December 21. The team authorized the Ariane 5 rocket bring Webb to rollout and the start of launch sequencing for the mission.
Furthermore, Webb teams recently finished a thorough day of launch practice session that included a collaboration in between launch site crews in French Guiana, and Webbs Mission Operations Center (MOC) at the Space Telescope and Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland. The various groups included with launching Webb are all standing ready, and have actually practiced each step regularly.
Next, the Ariane 5 rocket– with Webb securely encapsulated on top– is planned to start the nearly two hour procedure of presenting to the launch pad on December 22.

Due to negative weather condition conditions at Europes Spaceport in French Guiana, the flight VA256 to introduce Webb– initially set up for December 24– is being postponed.
The brand-new targeted launch date is December 25, as early as possible within the following launch window:

This evening (December 22), another weather projection will be released in order to validate the date of December 25. The Ariane 5 launch automobile and Webb are in safe and steady conditions in the Final Assembly Building.
https://youtu.be/-yuGPzfn0tI.

Between 7:20 a.m. and 7:52 a.m. Washington
Between 9:20 a.m. and 9:52 a.m. Kourou
Between 12:20 p.m. and 12:52 p.m. Universal (UTC).
In between 1:20 p.m. and 1:52 p.m. Paris.
In between 9:20 p.m. and 9:52 p.m. Tokyo.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is the next of NASAs Great Observatories; following in the line of the Hubble Space Telescope, the Compton Gamma-ray Observatory, the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and the Spitzer Space Telescope. JWST integrates qualities of 2 of its predecessors, observing in infrared light, like Spitzer, with fine resolution, like Hubble. Credit: NASA, SkyWorks Digital, Northrop Grumman, STScI