It’s getting there - first update after the James Webb Space Telescope’s Christmas Day launch

We reported, on Christmas Day, that the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) had successfully launched into space.

JWST after final separation (Credit: NASA)

On Day 3, it made the second course-correction burn, lasting 9 minutes and 27 seconds - with one more still required.

It has now covered more than one-third of the million miles to its final destination - a point where the gravitational tugs of Earth and the Sun balance out, creating a relatively stable environment for spacecraft.

In the past few hours, JWST has successfully deployed both the aft and forward pallet structures of its large sunshield. There are 140 release mechanisms, 70 hinge assemblies, 400 pulleys, 90 cables, and 8 deployment motors - a lot for the shield’s five layers to work properly.

NASA has announced that JWST may have enough fuel to more than double its minimum lifetime, so we can now expect 10 years of science observations.

Finally, as this update is being written, the deployable tower assembly is being extended, expected to take about six hours.

As of now, all is going well - although we’re only part way through the nerve-wracking “29 days on the edge”.

Written by Victoria de las Heras, 29th December 2021