After a number of unfortunate delays, including a recent data issue, the most powerful telescope mankind has developed is to launch on Christmas Eve.

https://jwst.nasa.gov/content/webbLaunch/index.html

Decades of work and billions of dollars are riding on this. 

https://www.salon.com/2021/12/19/james-webb-telescope-launch/

 

Edited December 21, 20214 yr by martin-w

'Twas the night before Christmas.

Fingers crossed. These days, I suppose they have to line up the launch window in the weather with a window in the orbiting debris field.

Hope they packed some Windex to keep the mirrors clean!  Maybe a roll or two of paper towels!

1 hour ago, charliearon said:

Hope they packed some Windex to keep the mirrors clean!  Maybe a roll or two of paper towels!

 

😁 Not enough dust in space. Hear on Earth is a another matter, in fact contamination before launch was a big concern.

In fact they have a dedicated Contamination Control Engineer. 

https://www.inverse.com/science/james-webb-space-telescope-flaw

 

 

2 hours ago, dmwalker said:

'Twas the night before Christmas.

Fingers crossed. These days, I suppose they have to line up the launch window in the weather with a window in the orbiting debris field.

 

I suppose so for the launch. But it will ultimately be parked at one of the Lagrange points. 

L2 to be precise. I see there are already plans to build an even bigger space telescope (LUVOIR) which will be able to be serviced.

2 hours ago, dmwalker said:

L2 to be precise. I see there are already plans to build an even bigger space telescope (LUVOIR) which will be able to be serviced.

 

Yep. 1.5 million kilometres. 

2 hours ago, dmwalker said:

bigger space telescope (LUVOIR) which will be able to be serviced

 

Where will they park that guy then, if it can be serviced? 

14 minutes ago, martin-w said:

Where will they park that guy then, if it can be serviced?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_Ultraviolet_Optical_Infrared_Surveyor

"If funded, LUVOIR would launch in approximately 2039 using a heavy launch vehicle, and it would be placed in an orbit around the Sun–Earth Lagrange 2."

"The LUVOIR Study Team expects that the telescope would be able to be serviced – similar to HST – either by an uncrewed spacecraft or by astronauts via Orion or Starship. Instruments such as cameras could potentially be replaced and returned to Earth for analysis of their components and future upgrades."

On 12/21/2021 at 7:47 AM, dmwalker said:

'Twas the night before Christmas.

So, 'twon't be the night before Christmas.

https://www.space.com/james-webb-space-telescope-weather-delay-christmas-launch

🤨 word not allowed the weather.