Webb telescope launch date slips once more

Image of the telescope's mirror.

Enlarge / The mirror of the James Webb, with its particular person segments unfolded into place. (credit score: NASA)

The James Webb House Telescope will not launch as scheduled on Halloween this 12 months—which is certainly a trick fairly than a deal with for the area neighborhood. Nonetheless, the delay could solely be a number of weeks.

Final summer time, NASA and the European House Company (ESA) set an October 31, 2021, launch date for the $10 billion telescope. The instrument, which is the largest science observatory ever positioned into area, will launch on a European Ariane 5 rocket from a spaceport in French Guiana. Now, nevertheless, three concerns have pushed the launch into November or presumably early December.

Throughout a press briefing with reporters on Tuesday, the telescope’s director for launch providers, Beatriz Romero, stated that there are a “mixture of various components” to think about when setting a brand new launch date. These components embrace cargo of the telescope, the readiness of the Ariane 5 rocket, and the readiness of the spaceport in South America as properly. Romero stated she didn’t count on to establish a brand new launch date till later this summer time or early fall.

Learn 6 remaining paragraphs | Feedback

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *