89. James Webb Space Telescope Launch & Merry Late Christmas

<p>Launch Day From <a href='https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasas-webb-telescope-launches-to-see-first-galaxies-distant-worlds'>Nasa.gov</a>:</p> <ul><li style="font-weight:400;">NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope launched at 7:20 a.m. EST Saturday (Dec. 25th) on an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, South America.<ul><li style="font-weight:400;">A joint effort with ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency, </li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">The Webb observatory is NASA’s revolutionary flagship mission to seek the light from the first galaxies in the early universe and to explore our own solar system, as well as planets orbiting other stars, called exoplanets. </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Ground teams began receiving telemetry data from Webb about five minutes after launch.`</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Approximately 30 minutes after launch, Webb unfolded its solar array, and mission managers confirmed that the solar array was providing power to the observatory.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Engineers and ground controllers will conduct the first of three mid-course correction burns about 12.5 hours after launch<ul><li style="font-weight:400;">Firing thrusters to maneuver the spacecraft on an optimal trajectory toward its destination in orbit about 1 million miles from Earth.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;"> Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 2 (L2)</li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">The world’s largest and most complex space science observatory will now begin six months of commissioning in space. At the end of commissioning, Webb will deliver its first images. </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Webb’s program director at NASA Headquarters, Gregory L. Robinson, talks about the launch: <ul><li style="font-weight:400;">“The launch of the Webb Space Telescope is a pivotal moment – this is just the beginning for the Webb mission … Now we will watch Webb’s highly anticipated and critical 29 days on the edge. When the spacecraft unfurls i