James Webb Space Telescope launched – LIVE: NASA prepares for historic Christmas Day launch

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In this image provided by NASA, Arianespace’s Ariane 5 rocket with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope on board, is seen at the launch pad, Thursday, December 23, 2021, at European Spaceport, Guyana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana.

(NASA/AFP)

NASA is hours away from the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, which the US space agency hopes will reveal the secrets of the early universe.

The launch is scheduled for 12.20 p.m. GMT (7.20 a.m. EDT) on Christmas Day, with a live broadcast available on NASA’s website shortly before liftoff.

All sorts of last-minute issues could derail the launch of the $10 billion observatory, which was previously postponed from December 24 due to bad weather at the launch site in French Guinea.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson warned before the launch that “more than 300 things” could go wrong and misfire the launch, with officials saying during a press conference this week that there are intermittent delays in communication between the rocket and the telescope.

Once in space, the James Webb Telescope will attempt to look back in 13.7 billion years toward the stars and galaxies that formed during the early stages of the universe’s formation.

You can follow the latest news and updates from the launch here.

View latest update 1640424746 The James Webb Space Telescope rocket begins refueling for launch

The rocket that will launch the James Webb Space Telescope has fueled for liftoff.

The telescope is about two hours and thirty minutes from launch, and the Ariane 5 rocket has begun filling 175 tons of propellant.

Now 150 tons of liquid oxygen and 25 tons of liquid hydrogen fuel the core stage of the rocket.

An additional 15 tons of propellant will be loaded into the upper stage of the rocket. Refueling is expected to be completed one hour and 22 minutes before launch, a NASA spokesperson said.

Holly Bancroft Dec 25, 2021 09:32

1640423262 What do scientists hope to achieve with the launch of the James Webb Telescope?

The James Webb Telescope will attempt to photograph the first stars and galaxies to shine in the universe.

The project, which took 30 years to design and build, is expected to shed new light on the beginning of the universe and our place in it.

The telescope will be able to do this with the help of a gold mirror with a width of 6.5 meters. The reflecting surface of the telescope should allow it to detect light from “leading” stars. These are the stars that are believed to have flared up over 13.5 billion years ago.

As a result, the Webb Telescope should be able to see the universe only 100 million years after the Big Bang.

Astronomers have discovered nearly 5,000 planets orbiting other stars in the past 30 years. The James Webb Space Telescope will also begin scanning a sample of alien worlds to try to find out which ones might harbor the right conditions for life.

Professor Martin Barstow, the scientist who helped develop the device, said: “We will learn about the origins of the universe, how life arose and how it might be possible, although we cannot guarantee that there is other life in our galaxy either.”

He added: “The telescope is so important that it will completely change the way we look at the universe and the way we view our place in it.”

Holly Bancroft Dec 25, 2021 09:07

When to launch the James Webb Space Telescope and how to watch it

The James Webb Space Telescope is currently scheduled to launch at 12.20 PM GMT on Saturday, December 25.

After years of delays and cost overruns, NASA had to postpone the initial launch date on Christmas Eve due to very high winds, but for now it looks good.

“There are more than 300 things, any of which are going wrong, it’s not a good day,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson warned. “So everything should work perfectly.”

You’ll find everything you need to know about the launch and how to watch it here:

Anthony Cuthbertson Dec 24, 2021 14:48

you are very welcome …

In The Independent’s live coverage of the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope. There have been many delays for the historic liftoff, but the weather is looking good so far for the $10 billion observatory to get into space on Christmas Day.

We’ll have all the latest updates from the launch in French Guiana, as well as a live stream from NASA as soon as it becomes available.

Anthony Cuthbertson Dec 24, 2021 14:41

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