![]() 5 January 2022: JWST’s 74cm convex secondary mirror is deployed.While the Sun-facing side endures temperatures up to 90☌, the shielded side will be as cold as –230☌. 3–4 January 2022: The five Kapton layers of Webb’s sunshield are tensioned.30–31 December 2021: Sunshield mid-booms are extended on either side, pulling the folded sunshield layers with them, to form the first part of its distinctive 21m x 14m kite shape.29 December 2021: The Deployable Tower Assembly (DTA) is raised by 1.2m for better thermal isolation and to give room for the sunshield to unfold in front and behind.28 December 2021: The Forward Unitized Pallet Structure (UPS), which supports and contains the five folded layers forming the front half of the sunshield, is lowered into place.26 December 2021: Deployment of the high-gain communications antenna, which allows communication with Earth through NASA’s Deep Space Network.The telescope can now switch from battery power to its own power. 25 December 2021, 12:48 UT Deployment of JWST’s 6m, five-panel solar array, which delivers about 1Kw of power.25 December 2021, 12:20 UT: JWST launches from the Guiana Space Centre on an Ariane 5 rocket after 27 minutes, it separates from the launcher’s upper stage to travel to L2 alone.Take a sneak peek at this groundbreaking mission by checking out the clip below.Here's a timeline of how it all took place. It must precisely execute 50 major deployments, and there is no room for error. The fate of the JWST rests on its ability to successfully unfold, which is easier said than done. However, the mission won’t be without its own set of challenges. This next generation space telescope will serve astronomers and scientists from across the globe as the leading orbital observatory for the foreseeable future. Within the next four months, the JWST will perform equipment and systems checks.Īssuming all goes according to plan, the JWST should be fully operational and in use just six months after launch. Then, within one month after liftoff, the telescope will deploy, its scientific instruments will activate, and the JWST will enter orbit around L2. Within the first week following launch, the sunshield will deploy. According to NASA, the JWST will then undergo a mid-course correction on its way to L2. Shortly after launch, the JWST will deploy its solar array and a high gain antenna to establish communications. In just 29 days, the JWST will reach its destination and begin preparing for robust scientific discoveries. Instead, it will orbit the Sun at the second Lagrange point, also known as L2. Unlike Hubble, the JWST will not orbit the Earth. It’s got the largest primary mirror of any space telescope (much larger than Hubble’s), and is equipped with the latest and greatest instruments to help scientists unlock the secrets of the cosmos. ![]() It’s a feat of engineering, a true modern marvel with unparalleled tech. This revolutionary mission will help scientists learn about how our universe and solar system formed. The highly anticipated launch of the JWST is fast approaching. Destination: The second Lagrange point (L2).Launch site: Europe’s Spaceport, French Guiana.It’s the most powerful space telescope ever built, and it will travel approximately one million miles to shed light on how the universe formed and how our solar system has evolved. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is set to launch later this month. Each month, in our Launch Pad series we cover notable spaceflight missions set to lift off soon.
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