![]() "Deploying both wings of the telescope while part of the fully assembled observatory is another significant milestone showing Webb will deploy properly in space. Performed in early March, this test involved commanding the spacecraft's internal systems to fully extend and latch Webb's iconic 6.5 meter (21 feet 4-inch) primary mirror. ![]() In order to perform the groundbreaking science expected of Webb, its primary mirror needs to be so large that it cannot fit inside any rocket available in its fully extended form. In a recent test, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope fully deployed its primary mirror into the same configuration it will have when in space. NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Full Mirror Deployment a Success The agency has since stated that the problem has been mostly resolved and would not prevent the launch. Last week, teams were working on “a communication issue between the observatory and the launch vehicle system” that pushed the launch to December 24, NASA shared in an online post. Heralded to be the premier space observatory of the next decade, the telescope, initially planned for a 2018 launch, has endured years of delays, including a combination of factors brought on by the pandemic and technical challenges. Live coverage of the launch will stream on NASA’s TV channel and website beginning Saturday at 6 a.m.Īhead of a planned launch for December 24, news of adverse weather conditions came shortly after NASA shared that the Launch Readiness Review for the telescope was completed on Tuesday.Īnother weather forecast reviewed on Wednesday confirmed the new launch date of December 25. The launch window opens Christmas morning at 7:20 a.m. Now, the telescope is expected to launch on December 25 from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. The highly anticipated launch of the James Webb Space Telescope has been delayed multiple times.
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