James webb telescope launch date early9/22/2023 ![]() ![]() Once fully operational, JWST will begin to survey the cosmos in a bid to answer some of the most fundamental questions surrounding the origin of stars and black holes in galaxies as well as life on planets. Once in position, the complex task of switching on the science instruments, testing and calibration can begin, which can take up to six months before any scientific observations are taken. Nearly two weeks after launch, the 6.5-meter diameter primary mirror, which was initially folded away to fit inside the Ariane launch vehicle, begins to unfold.įinally, nearly 30 days after launch, an almost fully deployed JWST will reach L2, and final orbital corrections and placements can now commence. ![]() ![]() A week after launch, the sun shields will begin unfolding completely to a size nearly as large as a tennis court. As JWST cruises along its path, the massive sun shields required to keep the telescope cool begin deployment, not opening fully just yet. Just over 30 minutes after launch, JWST will separate from the Ariane rocket and deploy its solar arrays, which will supply it with the power it needs to continue along its journey towards L2. However, this also means, unlike Hubble, JWST cannot be serviced by astronauts, making the launch and deployment of JWST one of the most challenging space missions with absolutely no margin for error. JWST’s carefully chosen location ensures that the telescope can always face away from the sun, which is necessary to carry out ultra-sensitive observations of the cosmos. Unlike Hubble, which orbits the Earth, JWST will be located near the second Lagrange point (L2), orbiting the sun roughly 15,00,000 km away from Earth. A successful launch is only the first step in a series of extremely complicated manoeuvres that must be executed to perfection in order to place the James Webb Telescope in position. ![]()
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