James Webb Space Telescope

[raven]

It would be an awesome Christmas present if it goes up successfully then.

And the deployment goes successfully.

Indeed so. Hopefully they learned the lessons from Galileo and made extra care to prevent vacuum welding.

[bknight]

It would be an awesome Christmas present if it goes up successfully then.

And the deployment goes successfully.

Indeed so. Hopefully they learned the lessons from Galileo and made extra care to prevent vacuum welding.

Umm what is vacuum welding?

[raven]

It would be an awesome Christmas present if it goes up successfully then.

And the deployment goes successfully.

Indeed so. Hopefully they learned the lessons from Galileo and made extra care to prevent vacuum welding.

Umm what is vacuum welding?

It's when materials bond together spontaneously in a vacuum. It is believed to be what affected the Galileo high-gain antenna, after it lost its lubrication in the long storage between its planned launch date and the actual launch date, preventing it from deploying.

[bknight]

It would be an awesome Christmas present if it goes up successfully then.

And the deployment goes successfully.

Indeed so. Hopefully they learned the lessons from Galileo and made extra care to prevent vacuum welding.

Umm what is vacuum welding?

It's when materials bond together spontaneously in a vacuum. It is believed to be what affected the Galileo high-gain antenna, after it lost its lubrication in the long storage between its planned launch date and the actual launch date, preventing it from deploying.

This is a first for me, but it does sound plausible.

[bknight]

Fraser has an interesting link.

https://www.universetoday.com/152863/jwsts-30-days-of-terror/

But even now, as the telescope might be secretly traveling by cargo ship to the European Space Agency (ESA) launch site in French Guiana

This action resembles my initial apprehension with launching via ESA.  Why would NASA ship in secret unless they perceive a threat and what security at the launch site is provided by ESA?  ESA had some earlier issues with the launch vehicle that seems to be mitigated, hopefully.

[Peter B]

Fraser has an interesting link.

https://www.universetoday.com/152863/jwsts-30-days-of-terror/

But even now, as the telescope might be secretly traveling by cargo ship to the European Space Agency (ESA) launch site in French Guiana

This action resembles my initial apprehension with launching via ESA.  Why would NASA ship in secret unless they perceive a threat and what security at the launch site is provided by ESA?  ESA had some earlier issues with the launch vehicle that seems to be mitigated, hopefully.

Do they perceive a threat? Not necessarily, as far as I can see. I wonder if this is simply the best way to manage risks they can't control in the same way they could control risks within the USA.

[bknight]

Fraser has an interesting link.

https://www.universetoday.com/152863/jwsts-30-days-of-terror/

But even now, as the telescope might be secretly traveling by cargo ship to the European Space Agency (ESA) launch site in French Guiana

This action resembles my initial apprehension with launching via ESA.  Why would NASA ship in secret unless they perceive a threat and what security at the launch site is provided by ESA?  ESA had some earlier issues with the launch vehicle that seems to be mitigated, hopefully.

Do they perceive a threat? Not necessarily, as far as I can see. I wonder if this is simply the best way to manage risks they can't control in the same way they could control risks within the USA.

Interesting but shipping secretly?  Everyone knows it has to travel through the Panama Canal then onto Guiana.

[jfb]

Fraser has an interesting link.

https://www.universetoday.com/152863/jwsts-30-days-of-terror/

But even now, as the telescope might be secretly traveling by cargo ship to the European Space Agency (ESA) launch site in French Guiana

This action resembles my initial apprehension with launching via ESA.  Why would NASA ship in secret unless they perceive a threat and what security at the launch site is provided by ESA?  ESA had some earlier issues with the launch vehicle that seems to be mitigated, hopefully.

Do they perceive a threat? Not necessarily, as far as I can see. I wonder if this is simply the best way to manage risks they can't control in the same way they could control risks within the USA.

Interesting but shipping secretly?  Everyone knows it has to travel through the Panama Canal then onto Guiana.

Yeah, but they don't know which boat. 

[bknight]

Fraser has an interesting link.

https://www.universetoday.com/152863/jwsts-30-days-of-terror/

But even now, as the telescope might be secretly traveling by cargo ship to the European Space Agency (ESA) launch site in French Guiana

This action resembles my initial apprehension with launching via ESA.  Why would NASA ship in secret unless they perceive a threat and what security at the launch site is provided by ESA?  ESA had some earlier issues with the launch vehicle that seems to be mitigated, hopefully.

Do they perceive a threat? Not necessarily, as far as I can see. I wonder if this is simply the best way to manage risks they can't control in the same way they could control risks within the USA.

Interesting but shipping secretly?  Everyone knows it has to travel through the Panama Canal then onto Guiana.

Yeah, but they don't know which boat.

Very true, hence the secrecy because NASA seems to be concerned with the security o the telescope in my mind.  We can bounce this off each other as it seems you have a different mindset than I.
I'm hoping for the best outcome.

[jfb]

Fraser has an interesting link.

https://www.universetoday.com/152863/jwsts-30-days-of-terror/

But even now, as the telescope might be secretly traveling by cargo ship to the European Space Agency (ESA) launch site in French Guiana

This action resembles my initial apprehension with launching via ESA.  Why would NASA ship in secret unless they perceive a threat and what security at the launch site is provided by ESA?  ESA had some earlier issues with the launch vehicle that seems to be mitigated, hopefully.

Do they perceive a threat? Not necessarily, as far as I can see. I wonder if this is simply the best way to manage risks they can't control in the same way they could control risks within the USA.

Interesting but shipping secretly?  Everyone knows it has to travel through the Panama Canal then onto Guiana.

Yeah, but they don't know which boat.

Very true, hence the secrecy because NASA seems to be concerned with the security o the telescope in my mind.  We can bounce this off each other as it seems you have a different mindset than I.
I'm hoping for the best outcome.

As long as it took and as much as it cost to build I'm not going to begrudge a little (okay, maybe more than a little) paranoia. There's too much money and too many careers wrapped up in this project to have it be damaged or lost in transit.  I seriously doubt the JWST is on anyone's radar as a target, but on the other hand I wouldn't want to be the one in front of a Congressional committee explaining why it got blowed up by some dipshit with an RPG. 

I would much rather it go up on a domestic launcher, but I don't get to make those calls (and this arrangement was made well before Falcon Heavy was flying). 

[bknight]

It looks like the trip on ship has ended.
https://www.space.com/nasa-james-webb-space-telescope-arrives-french-guiana?utm_source=notification

[bknight]

And the travel pack with telescope has arrived at the launch port.
https://www.universetoday.com/152908/webb-has-arrived-safely-at-the-launch-site/

[molesworth]

I'm starting to think this mission is cursed...

The launch readiness date for the James Webb Space Telescope is moving to no earlier than Dec. 22 to allow for additional testing of the observatory, following a recent incident that occurred during Webb’s launch preparations.

The incident occurred during operations at the satellite preparation facility in Kourou, French Guiana, performed under Arianespace overall responsibility. Technicians were preparing to attach Webb to the launch vehicle adapter, which is used to integrate the observatory with the upper stage of the Ariane 5 rocket. A sudden, unplanned release of a clamp band – which secures Webb to the launch vehicle adapter – caused a vibration throughout the observatory.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2021/11/22/nasa-provides-update-on-webb-telescope-launch/

[bknight]

And the travel pack with telescope has arrived at the launch port.
https://www.universetoday.com/152908/webb-has-arrived-safely-at-the-launch-site/

The Launch has been delayed by an accident.  The NASA technicians down there need to inspect everything and to check if the loading equipment is up to the task.
New launch date NET 22 Dec 21

[Peter B]

I'm starting to think this mission is cursed...

The launch readiness date for the James Webb Space Telescope is moving to no earlier than Dec. 22 to allow for additional testing of the observatory, following a recent incident that occurred during Webb’s launch preparations.

The incident occurred during operations at the satellite preparation facility in Kourou, French Guiana, performed under Arianespace overall responsibility. Technicians were preparing to attach Webb to the launch vehicle adapter, which is used to integrate the observatory with the upper stage of the Ariane 5 rocket. A sudden, unplanned release of a clamp band – which secures Webb to the launch vehicle adapter – caused a vibration throughout the observatory.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2021/11/22/nasa-provides-update-on-webb-telescope-launch/

Per ardua ad astra?