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Europe ready to launch the largest space telescope

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It is the largest and most powerful space telescope to date. A combination of advanced technologies and a future of scientific research that promises unprecedented results. First of all: the richest catalog of exoplanets.

The hunt for new Earths orbiting other stars in our galaxy, and understanding if there is life on them, proceeds quickly, and the James Webb Space Telescope, which NASA has built with the contribution of the European and Canadian space agencies, is the largest exoplanet hunter ever made. On the other hand, his task is not only that: he has many others, to further revolutionize astronomy, for the expected period of at least ten years, in which he will scrutinize every corner of the Universe. Inheriting what its predecessor, the Hubble Space Telescope (still operational 31 years after launching into Earth orbit) achieved, will not be easy. But Webb Telescope promises much more, and not just to justify the $ 10 billion cost of its construction. And the challenge, compared to Hubble, is much greater: placed one and a half million kilometers from Earth, with 18 mirrors embedded in a mosaic of them to form a single, gigantic mirror, it cannot be repaired by astronauts (such as Hubble Telescope in Earth orbit) and will therefore also be a robotic machine capable of self-management and, if necessary, self-repair.

Meanwhile, the first step ahead of space for the great telescope is Europe. After some delays, first due to funding, then above all for technical reasons, now finally the launch is approaching. In fact, it is scheduled (to date) for October 31st, and the “Webb” is being transferred in these days to the European base of Kourou, in French Guiana, where an Ariane 5 rocket will first place it in Earth orbit, and then with the its higher stage will send it to a point in space far from Earth.

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Shipping operations have begun, including all the steps necessary to prepare Webb for his journey, for now on land, through the Panama Canal to his launch location in Kourou. Once Webb arrives at the European spaceport, the launch preparation teams will prepare and configure the Webb Telescope, which weighs 6 and a half tons, for the mission, with post-shipment checks and accurate loading of propellant tanks. At that point, they will pair the space telescope with the booster rocket, in the ogive on top of Ariane 5.

The upper stage of the Ariane 5, which will have to send Webb in the transfer trajectory in which it will operate, is already on its way to Kourou, aboard the ship MN Toucan, along with other elements of Ariane 5 loaded in various European ports to continue its journey to French Guiana. The James Webb Space Telescope represents a mission with contributions from thousands of scientists, engineers and other professionals from more than 14 countries and 29 states. In collaboration with the partners, ESA (European Space Agency) is responsible for the development and qualification of the Ariane 5 adaptations for the mission and the procurement of the launch service. In addition to this, ESA contributes with the NIRSpec tool and a 50% share of the MIRI tool, as well as staff to support mission operations: “We are delighted with the completion of all tests for Webb and thank all teams for their excellent work. We are very excited that all the elements needed for the launch are now gathered at the European spaceport, ”said Günther Hasinger, ESA’s Director of Science Programs.

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The launch is therefore confirmed for the end of October: once sent to the intended point of space, Webb will separate from the rocket and its solar panel will automatically deploy.

Immediately after the separation, ESA’s network of tracking stations, ESTRACK, will follow the operations of the initial phase of orbit using its Malindi ground station (at the Italian base Luigi Broglio) in collaboration with the network of stations of the NASA.

It will take Webb a month to move to its intended location, Lagrangian point L-2, a long way from Earth, slowly opening up as it goes. Once the sunscreen begins to unfold, the telescope and instruments will go into shadow and begin to cool over time. In the following weeks, the mission team will monitor the “cooling” of the large observatory from the ground, managing it with heaters to control the stresses on instruments and structures. Meanwhile, the secondary mirror tripod will open, then touch the primary mirror, then Webb’s tools will slowly activate and his thrusters’ firings will insert him into the precise spot in L-2. Once the observatory has cooled down and stabilized to its freezing temperature in which it will operate, a few months of alignment of its optics and calibration of scientific instruments are planned. The actual operations will begin approximately six months after launch.

James Webb Telescope, named after the NASA Administrator who (boldly) accepted Kennedy’s challenge in 1961 to send Americans to the Moon in less than 10 years, is the next major space science observatory designed to answer outstanding questions. on the Universe, and to make revolutionary discoveries in all fields of astronomy. In fact, Webb will see further into our origins: from the formation of stars and planets, to the birth of the first galaxies in the early Universe.

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