The James Webb Space Telescope has successfully cleared key tests. The telescope is developed by the US space agency NASA. According to the agency, it has just completed environmental testing. The scientific equipment has survived all of the conditions that it will face during the launch and operations in the space. NASA said that the telescope can easily survive the rocket launch phase. The launch is one of the most crucial parts of the operation. The JWST will be launched in October next year. It will succeed the Hubble Space Telescope. According to NASA, the completion of environmental testing is a crucial milestone in its journey.
James Webb Space Telescope engineers conducted acoustic and vibration tests. The test was conducted at California’s Northrop Grumman center. Northrop Grumman is an aerospace company based in Virginia. That company is developing Webb for the space agency. NASA said that the telescope will go through more testing. The complete system’s evaluation is awaited. Its engineers will pack it up after full evaluation and take it to its launch site. It will be launched from French Guiana on an Ariane 5 rocket. The agency had earlier planned to launch the telescope in March 2021, but pushed the date to October 2021. It added that the program is on schedule for October 2021 launch.
The James Webb Space Telescope is said to be the largest and most technically complex space telescope. NASA said that it will help scientists in solving the mysteries of the solar system. The Hubble Space Telescope was placed into the low Earth orbit in 1990. It is still operational. Scientists consider it as the most versatile research tools in the space. The new telescope will offer scientists an improved infrared resolution and sensitivity of space events. Besides, it is aimed at helping to expand astronomy and cosmology probes. The telescope’s main objective is to assist scientists to examine the most distant objects and events millions of km away from Earth.
Leave a Reply