The James Webb Space Telescope Is really on its way.
Massive surveillance was launched today (Dec. 25) at 7:20 a.m. EST (1220 GMT) from the European Spaceport in French Guiana. Just 12.5 hours later, the spacecraft embarked on a major maneuver during its one-month voyage to its future outpost, where the laboratory activated a 65-minute long thrust combustion, which ended at 8:55 EST (0155 GMT). NASA report.
The space telescope is destined to orbit a point in space Earth-Sun Lagrange Point2 Or L2, located approximately 1 million miles (1.5 million kilometers) from the Earth on the opposite side of the Sun. Within 12 hours of launch, the spacecraft passed the first 10% of the voyage. Then, when the telescope was about 100,000 miles (160,000 km) away Earth, The lab activated an important burn to ensure it reached its goal safely.
In the photos: Christmas release of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope
Further: NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Launch: Live Announcements
According to NASA, Named the Mid-Course Correction Burn 1a or MCC1a, the most important of the spacecraft’s three burns during the voyage to L2, and only this time must be calculated with particular care.
A spacecraft must conduct a maneuver to calculate small differences in the deposition of its rocket engines within hours of launch, however, this combustion of the web contains an important barrier, according to NASA: the spacecraft itself cannot slow down. Because doing so would expose its super-heat-sensitive tools The sun.
Conversely, the laboratory can only increase its speed, so the launch line of the observatory is incorrectly designed on the side of the Ariane 5 rocket, which delivers slightly less power than required. The MCC1a burn became the laboratory’s opportunity to elegantly change its path toward L2.
During the first phase of the observatory, President Joe Biden approved the teams behind the telescope for the project.
“Congratulations to ASNASA and everyone who made today’s launch of the James Webb Telescope possible,” Biden wrote. Tweet Released this evening. “Webb is a great example of what we can achieve when we dream big. We always knew this project would be a risky endeavor, but with great risk comes great rewards.”
Once the MCC1a combustion is complete, the Observatory successfully executes only two procedures that require specific time. Henceforth, the sorting steps will be executed in a flexible manner rather than at a specific time.
The next milestone in JWST’s one-month journey is said to occur a day after launch. NASA Chronology, When the spacecraft returns the Kimbled antenna assembly holding the main communication antenna back to Earth.
Email Meghan Bartels at [email protected] or follow him on Twittermeghanbartels. Follow us On TwitterSpacestotcom And on Facebook.
