JWST launch delayed to 2019

[Einion Yrth]

Russ35 said:

All 5 layers complete.

Thats now about 75% of the 344 single point failures overcome.

I think the sunshield was the group that worried me the most. Fingers crossed it'll continue to be nominal.

[ChocolateFrog]

From a layman's perspective it seemed like that's where the most risk was, especially considering the test fail a few years ago.

I imagine a few Engineers let out a sigh of relief after that task was ticked off.

[ChocolateFrog]

I've noticed it's speed has decreased by roughly half already, I assume due to Earth and the Sun's gravity.

[tertius]

ChocolateFrog said:

I've noticed it's speed has decreased by roughly half already, I assume due to Earth and the Sun's gravity.

I asked this also - as I understand it, it’s still in Earth’s gravity well and is being allowed to slow down into its target L2 position, a bit like crown bowls …

If you look at the Where is Webb page it’s more than halfway there by distance but has only taken a third of the time expected.

[andy_s]

tertius said:

a bit like crown bowls …

Great analogy!

[normalbloke]

ChocolateFrog said:

I've noticed it's speed has decreased by roughly half already, I assume due to Earth and the Sun's gravity.

That’ll be the drag of the sun shields….

[Russ35]

Secondary mirror is next scheduled deployment, tomorrow (Wednesday).

https://jwst.nasa.gov/content/webbLaunch/deploymen...

[Einion Yrth]

Russ35 said:

Secondary mirror is next scheduled deployment, tomorrow (Wednesday).

https://jwst.nasa.gov/content/webbLaunch/deploymen...

Seems to have gone well.

[Beati Dogu]

Great news indeed.

"Another banner day for JWST,” says Bill Ochs, NASA’s Webb project manager. “We’re about 600,000 miles from Earth, and we actually have a telescope. So congratulations to everybody.”

Just the side wings to go in terms of main deployment.

[anonymous-user]

Great news!

[Beati Dogu]

Quite the selfie by some of the people who worked on it.

[MartG]

Instrument radiator now fully deployed

[MartG]

One 'wing' done, one to go

[tight fart]

normalbloke said:

That’ll be the drag of the sun shields….

What are they dragging against?

[anonymous-user]

tight fart said:

normalbloke said:

That’ll be the drag of the sun shields….

What are they dragging against?

Solar winds?

[Beati Dogu]

It's the effect of Earth's gravity (predominantly) that's slowed it down a bit.

[anonymous-user]

Beati Dogu said:

It's the effect of Earth's gravity (predominantly) that's slowed it down a bit.

From the JW website…. It begins to slow rapidly after separation as it coasts up hill climbing the gravity ridge from Earth to its orbit around L2.

[IAmTheWalrus]

So, when do we get to see any new images of the galaxy?

[MartG]

IAmTheWalrus said:

So, when do we get to see any new images of the galaxy?

That's still several months away - a great deal of commissioning and calibration work is needed first

[normalbloke]

IAmTheWalrus said:

So, when do we get to see any new images of the galaxy?

Patience dear boy, it’s not even arrived yet….