Telescope

James Webb Space Telescope extends its tower assembly to make way for sunshield deployment

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The James Webb Space Telescope is one step closer to finishing the deployment of its massive sunshield.  On Wednesday (Dec. 29), the huge new space observatory successfully extended its deployable tower assembly (DTA), a 48-inch-long (1.2 meters) shaft that connects the telescope’s two halves, NASA officials said in a statement.  The James Webb Space Telescope‘s … Read more

James Webb Space Telescope should have fuel for way more than 10 years of science

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NASA’s newest flagship space observatory should have enough fuel to more than double its minimum mission life peering into the history of the universe, according to an agency update. The long-awaited James Webb Space Telescope, a collaboration with the Canadian and European space agencies led by NASA, launched into space Saturday (Dec. 25) on an … Read more

Here’s how to follow the progress of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope

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NASA’s new $10 billion observatory is completing a nerve-wracking sequence of steps to reach its final configuration and location. The James Webb Space Telescope‘s “29 days on the edge,” as NASA has dubbed the lengthy and complex deployment process, began when the spacecraft launched on Saturday (Dec. 25). Since then, the observatory has reached key … Read more

James Webb Space Telescope begins unfolding delicate, massive sunshield

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NASA’s massive new space observatory has entered its most perilous phase yet as it begins the careful process of unfurling its delicate sunshield. The James Webb Space Telescope launched on Sunday (Dec. 25) and will be a revolutionary new observatory focused on studying the universe in infrared light. But first, it has to survive a … Read more

James Webb Space Telescope sails beyond the orbit of the moon after 2nd course correction

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NASA’s next-generation space observatory has sailed beyond the orbit of the moon after nailing the second of three required course-correction burns, agency officials said Monday. The long-awaited James Webb Space Telescope launched on Saturday (Dec. 25), beginning a one-month deployment process. Over the course of that deployment, the observatory must execute three burns to adjust … Read more

James Webb Space Telescope successfully deploys antenna

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NASA’s new James Webb Space Telescope successfully deployed a critical antenna Sunday (Dec. 26)  just one day after its Christmas launch into space. The space telescope unfolded what scientists call a gimbaled antenna assembly that carries the high-rate data dish responsible for beaming Webb’s observations of the early universe back to Earth. Webb launched into … Read more

James Webb Space Telescope notches crucial maneuver to set its path

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The James Webb Space Telescope is truly on its way. The massive observatory launched today (Dec. 25) from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, at 7:20 a.m. EST (1220 GMT). Just 12.5 hours later, the spacecraft began a vital maneuver on its month-long journey to its future outpost as the observatory executed a 65-minute-long thruster … Read more

’29 days on the edge:’ What’s next for NASA’s newly launched James Webb Space Telescope

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NASA’s next big space observatory is finally aloft, but it’ll be a while before it starts its highly anticipated science mission. The $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope launched atop an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana yesterday (Dec. 25), kicking off a long-delayed, potentially transformative mission to study the early universe, nearby exoplanets and … Read more

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope launches on epic mission to study early universe

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NASA just got a $10 billion space telescope for Christmas. An Ariane 5 rocket launched today (Dec. 25) from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, at 7:20 a.m. EST (1220 GMT; 9:20 a.m. local time in Kourou), carrying the highly anticipated, long-delayed James Webb Space Telescope — and the hopes and dreams of countless astronomers, … Read more

In photos: The Christmas launch of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope

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(Image credit: NASA/Chris Gunn) But first, James Webb Space Telescope had to leave Earth behind and to do that, it had to get to its launch site.  Here is the cargo ship carrying NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope that arrived in French Guiana on Oct. 12, 2021, after a 16-day sea voyage. The space telescope … Read more