james webb telescope

[elizabeth25]

Does anyone know when the James Webb Telescope will be launched into space?

[Amber Robot]

No, I don't think anyone does.

[Grey]

Does anyone know when the James Webb Telescope will be launched into space?

It's scheduled for launch in 2014.

[Garrison]

It's scheduled for launch in 2014.

But it could be 2015 just as easily according to some reports

[elizabeth25]

cool, not long to wait then.

[jrkeller]

According to SpaceNews the launch date will probably be September 2015. The project is way over budget and it wouldn't surprize me that it gets cut.

Link

[elizabeth25]

thanks for that link, hopefully it does not get cut, i would love for the James Webb telescope to get launched and travel a million miles to explore deep space, just think of the amazing pictures it will send back to us, if there is any other life beyond our galaxy, then the James Webb will find it, im sure, there is other life out there, about 95% positive that we are not alone in the universe, it is impossible to think that we are the only ones in such a vast universe.

[Amber Robot]

According to SpaceNews the launch date will probably be September 2015.

Well, that article said that it "will not occur before September 2015." That means it's unlikely that it will launch even then, unless everything goes perfectly from here on out. And considering how much more money they'll need to get for that to happen, I choose to remain skeptical.

[Amber Robot]

if there is any other life beyond our galaxy, then the James Webb will find it

I don't think that JWST will have the capability to detect life beyond our galaxy. Perhaps not even within our galaxy.

[elizabeth25]

I don't think that JWST will have the capability to detect life beyond our galaxy. Perhaps not even within our galaxy.

why do you think that?

[Amber Robot]

why do you think that?

Admittedly, I haven't fully versed myself in the capabilities of its spectrographs, but as of yet, there's no unambiguous signature of life yet. I guess looking for oxygen or ozone absorption in the atmosphere of a planet might be considered a good sign of life, but I'm not sure JWST's capabilities are such that it can get spectroscopy of individual planets -- we've only just begun to be able to identify planets that are near Earth size and that might be within a star's habitable zone, so targets are limited, and I'm not sure JWST will have the resolution to separate these planets from their host stars.

[elizabeth25]

true, but by the time the JWST is in the correct position, dont you think we will have at least some ability here on Earth to tell the difference. i mean how long would it take for the JWST to travel a million miles? a couple of years?

[schlaugh]

true, but by the time the JWST is in the correct position, dont you think we will have at least some ability here on Earth to tell the difference. i mean how long would it take for the JWST to travel a million miles? a couple of years?

Weeks, not years. From the JWST site:

It will take Webb rough 30 days to reach the start of its orbit of L2.

In any case the JWST is designed to largely observe in the infrared part of the EM spectrum, not visible light. See here for details.

[elizabeth25]

wow didnt know it would be that quick a journey, thanks.

From the JWST site:

Webb will find the first galaxies that formed in the early Universe, connecting the Big Bang to our own Milky Way Galaxy. Webb will peer through dusty clouds to see stars forming planetary systems, connecting the Milky Way to our own Solar System.

sounds exciting.

[Jamotron]

If the James Webb gets dropped then I'm giving up on NASA and starting my own space agency.

[Sardonicone]

Let me know how that works out for you.

[Garrison]

According to SpaceNews the launch date will probably be September 2015. The project is way over budget and it wouldn't surprize me that it gets cut.

Link

At this point I don't think they dare cut it, too damaging prestige wise and the cost overruns mean there isn't anything else to fall back on as an alternative focus. They will finish it but when is the question.

[vkane]

Testimony by NASA's administrator this month suggests a launch no earlier than 2018.

[Craigboy]

"NASA Chief Suggests JWST Won’t Launch before 2018"

http://www.spacenews.com/civil/11041...unch-2018.html

[Garrison]

"NASA Chief Suggests JWST Won’t Launch before 2018"

http://www.spacenews.com/civil/11041...unch-2018.html

While you can understand the reluctance to ask for more cash 2018 is just ridiculous, and could Senator Hutchison make her pork barrel antics any more blatant?

[tlbs101]

We are just barely starting to build flight hardware for one auxiliary power control avionics box (with many of my designs). Firmware design for the main power control unit and the solar array regulator has just finished (we will have a mini-celebration this week).

I may use the SAR design for my own solar array at my home -- using commercal grade components, of course.

[MaDeR]

Sunk costs fallacy in full effect.

[ToSeek]

I can remember when it was supposed to be launched in 2007. Now it's becoming a real question of which comes first, JWST launch or my retirement.

[tlbs101]

Last week, the design team for the whole power control system and solar array regulator got together for a celebration of our "official" declaration of the completion of the design. Several margaritas and my Negra Modela were hoisted.
I am reviewing the final specification for my auxiliary power control 'box' so that we may commence qualification testing of the engineering model (prototype) and start construction of the flight hardware.
Things are getting done, albiet slowly.
(My designs were complete and bench-tested a year ago.)

[Garrison]

I can remember when it was supposed to be launched in 2007. Now it's becoming a real question of which comes first, JWST launch or my retirement.

Maybe they are hoping that if they delay long enough they can cancel their ride on an Ariane 5 and go up on the SLS instead...

[Craigboy]

Maybe they are hoping that if they delay long enough they can cancel their ride on an Ariane 5 and go up on the SLS instead...

You're joking right?

[Garrison]

You're joking right?

Well I certainly hope so...

[tlbs101]

My coworkers (and friends) on the solar array regulator team just completed a full-power test of the system (2.5 - 3 kW) using a solar array simulator. They are all breathing a sigh of relief (because they have worked so hard for many months to complete all aspects of the system).

The regulator did its job, providing steady, stable power, under all imaginable circumstances and scenarios of available solar power from the array, and varying loads. They simulated everything from full power near the earth (outbound), to loss of an entire wing of the whole solar array on orbit. They also tested all modes of operation under worst-case array conditions, and tested many worst-case load conditions.


For my 'box', flight hardware is still being constructed and module-level testing will commence this month.
.

[bunker9603]

This was posted on NASA Watch:

"Congressional Move to Cancel Webb"

According to a tweet by Brian Berger at Space News: "House CJS mark also "terminates funding for [JWST] , which is billions of dollars over budget and plagued by poor management".

http://nasawatch.com/archives/2011/0...ssional-m.html

I haven't seen any mention of this any where else.

[elizabeth25]

News update for the James Webb Telescope.

Hopes to launch 2018.

NASA Completes Mirror Polishing For James Webb Space Telescope.

and now..

Tests Under way on the Sunshield for NASA's Webb Telescope.

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/technolog...ield-test.html