As time approaches for launch in December, more news stories are popping up.

James Webb Space Telescope unpacked in Kourou. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-58960575

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope looks squeaky clean. https://www.space.com/nasa-james-webb-space-telescope-cleanroom-photos

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope will face ’29 days on the edge’ after launch. https://www.space.com/james-webb-space-telescope-deployments-video. 50 major deployments in 29 days. See video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUAvXYW5bmI. One of the biggest things Webb will have to unfold is a complex, tennis court-sized sunshield array, which has 140 release mechanisms, 70 hinge assemblies, 400 pulleys, 90 cables and 8 deployment motors.

What the giant James Webb telescope will see that Hubble can’t https://mashable.com/article/james-webb-space-telescope-hubble-science

• Capturing more light is critical for observing the earliest stars and galaxies that formed in the universe, over 13 billion years ago.
• See vastly more stars and planets by seeing through thick, smoke-like clouds of dust and gas.
• JWST will spend a significant amount of time viewing exoplanets in other star systems. It will analyze their atmospheres.

mollwollfumble said:

As time approaches for launch in December, more news stories are popping up.

James Webb Space Telescope unpacked in Kourou. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-58960575

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope looks squeaky clean. https://www.space.com/nasa-james-webb-space-telescope-cleanroom-photos

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope will face ’29 days on the edge’ after launch. https://www.space.com/james-webb-space-telescope-deployments-video. 50 major deployments in 29 days. See video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUAvXYW5bmI. One of the biggest things Webb will have to unfold is a complex, tennis court-sized sunshield array, which has 140 release mechanisms, 70 hinge assemblies, 400 pulleys, 90 cables and 8 deployment motors.

What the giant James Webb telescope will see that Hubble can’t https://mashable.com/article/james-webb-space-telescope-hubble-science

• Capturing more light is critical for observing the earliest stars and galaxies that formed in the universe, over 13 billion years ago.
• See vastly more stars and planets by seeing through thick, smoke-like clouds of dust and gas.
• JWST will spend a significant amount of time viewing exoplanets in other star systems. It will analyze their atmospheres.

I believe that it will orbit behind the moon in a lagrange spot. If so, will it unfold in LEO first, and then travel there?

> I believe that it will orbit behind the moon in a lagrange spot. If so, will it unfold in LEO first, and then travel there?

That’s a good question. I’ll try and find out.

It starts unfolding before leaving low earth orbit. In particular the solar panels and high gain antenna will unfold then.

The solar shield and trim tab unfoldes once out past the Moon’s orbit. And the mirror assembly is pushed away from the sun shield.
The final unfolding is the mirror assembly, but even that happens before they reach the Lagrangian point orbit.

So, in short, it unfolds in the transfer orbit between LEO and the Lagrange spot.

mollwollfumble said:

> I believe that it will orbit behind the moon in a lagrange spot. If so, will it unfold in LEO first, and then travel there?

That’s a good question. I’ll try and find out.

It starts unfolding before leaving low earth orbit. In particular the solar panels and high gain antenna will unfold then.

The solar shield and trim tab unfoldes once out past the Moon’s orbit. And the mirror assembly is pushed away from the sun shield.
The final unfolding is the mirror assembly, but even that happens before they reach the Lagrangian point orbit.

So, in short, it unfolds in the transfer orbit between LEO and the Lagrange spot.

So if it doesn’t unfold properly, there is no chance of fixing it.

Hubble had to be repaired in space due to a mistake on earth before it could take decent images. Hence my question.

Talk about changing the name as well