The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has completed payload preparation and refueling in French Guiana, the European Space Agency (ESA) said in a press release. This is one step closer to the launch of this project later this month.
Developed in collaboration with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), NASA ESA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the telescope eventually made its way across the Atlantic via spacecraft. However, that long difficult phase is only a small part of the long and difficult history of telescope manufacturing. Last month, we covered an 'event' that delayed the launch further, fortunately only a few days.
However, it looks set to launch this year. The ESA has confirmed that it has completed the process of refueling the telescope with its propellant. Fuel completed over a period of 10 days involves filling 159 liters of hydrazine and 79.5 liters of dinitrogen tetroxide in two separate tanks. Dinitrogen tetroxide is an oxidizer used to improve the burning efficiency of hydrazine fuels.
Fueling the satellite is a critical process that involves establishing a connection, refueling and then pressurizing, the press release said. Both components are highly toxic, so self-contained atmospheric protective enables or SCAPE suites with limited staff performed the operation in a hall dedicated to fuel operations.
The telescope is now ready to be placed on top of ESA's Ariane 5-inch vehicle, the beginning of "joint operations". This is when the expert teams of JWST and Ariane5, who have been working separately so far, come together to prepare for the launch. It was during a similar process last time that an incident with the 'clamp band' caused the telescope to vibrate, forcing the ESA to begin a detailed inspection of the spacecraft.
Once inside the Ariane5, the launch vehicle will be moved to the Final Assembly building for launch preparations, now scheduled for December 22.
We may hear about alien life before the end of the year
Developed in collaboration with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), NASA ESA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the telescope eventually made its way across the Atlantic via spacecraft. However, that long difficult phase is only a small part of the long and difficult history of telescope manufacturing. Last month, we covered an 'event' that delayed the launch further, fortunately only a few days.
However, it looks set to launch this year. The ESA has confirmed that it has completed the process of refueling the telescope with its propellant. Fuel completed over a period of 10 days involves filling 159 liters of hydrazine and 79.5 liters of dinitrogen tetroxide in two separate tanks. Dinitrogen tetroxide is an oxidizer used to improve the burning efficiency of hydrazine fuels.
Fueling the satellite is a critical process that involves establishing a connection, refueling and then pressurizing, the press release said. Both components are highly toxic, so self-contained atmospheric protective enables or SCAPE suites with limited staff performed the operation in a hall dedicated to fuel operations.
The telescope is now ready to be placed on top of ESA's Ariane 5-inch vehicle, the beginning of "joint operations". This is when the expert teams of JWST and Ariane5, who have been working separately so far, come together to prepare for the launch. It was during a similar process last time that an incident with the 'clamp band' caused the telescope to vibrate, forcing the ESA to begin a detailed inspection of the spacecraft.
Once inside the Ariane5, the launch vehicle will be moved to the Final Assembly building for launch preparations, now scheduled for December 22.
We may hear about alien life before the end of the year
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