Sat 18 December 2021:
NASA plans to launch its new space telescope on Friday, which also happens to be ‘Christmas Eve,’ in what can be considered a Christmas gift to the world.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced on Friday that the $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope will launch on December 24.
A European Ariane rocket will be used to launch it from French Guiana.
The Webb Space Telescope, which is regarded as the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, was set to launch on Saturday.
This just in from the Kourou Spaceport: The team is still hard at work encapsulating the @NASAWebb telescope for launch. We will keep you posted. https://t.co/9bBxoy6IJD
— NASA (@NASA) December 18, 2021
The launch was initially delayed by four days due to a clamp during preparations, which was followed by another two days due to a bad communication link on the rocket.
After a final round of testing, US and European space officials approved the launch date on Friday.
Liftoff has been scheduled for 7.20 am EST. Due to holidays, Nelson expects a small crowd at the launch site. “Since it’s Christmas Eve, all the congressional delegations that were going down, all of that has evaporated,” Nelson told The Associated Press.
On the mega project, NASA has partnered with the European and Canadian space agencies.
Nelson said, “There’s so much riding on this.”
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
NASA looks to launch $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope on December 24. Photograph:( Twitter )
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