Constellations, Launch, New Space and more…
News

Testing Confirms Webb Telescope on Track for Targeted Dec. 22 Launch

By Doug Messier
Parabolic Arc
November 26, 2021
Filed under , , , , , ,
Upon its arrival at the launch site in Kourou, French Guiana, engineers quickly set about unpacking, cleaning, and preparing the James Webb Space Telescope in its remaining days on Earth. (Credits: NASA/Chris Gunn)

KOUROU, French Guiana (NASA PR) — Engineering teams have completed additional testing confirming NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is ready for flight, and launch preparations are resuming toward Webb’s target launch date of Wednesday, Dec. 22, at 7:20 a.m. EST.

Additional testing was conducted this week to ensure the observatory’s health following an incident that occurred when the release of a clamp band caused a vibration throughout the observatory.

On Wednesday, Nov. 24, engineering teams completed these tests, and a NASA-led anomaly review board concluded no observatory components were damaged in the incident. A “consent to fuel” review was held, and NASA gave approval to begin fueling the observatory. Fueling operations will begin Thursday, Nov. 25, and will take about 10 days.

The Webb Space Telescope is an international partnership with the European and Canadian space agencies. It will explore every phase of cosmic history – from within our solar system to the most distant observable galaxies in the early universe, and everything in between. Webb will reveal new and unexpected discoveries, and help humanity understand the origins of the universe and our place in it.

3 responses to “Testing Confirms Webb Telescope on Track for Targeted Dec. 22 Launch”

  1. ThomasLMatula says:
    0
    0

    Wishing them well!

  2. Robert G. Oler says:
    0
    0

    safe flights

  3. therealdmt says:
    0
    0

    Le whew!

Leave a Reply