In Guyana, the Ariane 5 launcher equipped with the latest James Webb space telescope has gone into space. This was reported by RIA Novosti.
The spacecraft with the telescope will begin to deploy after the rocket separates. This process will take 29 days. One of the more difficult steps will be unfolding the main mirror and heat shield. It should shield the device from solar, terrestrial and lunar radiation.
NASA expects scientists to have access to James Webb's first data. six months after launching into space. Plus, in just one year they will become accessible to the public.
According to NASA staff, launching the space observatory has become one of the most complex missions in agency in history. The telescope was created with the participation of 17 countries for more than 20 years. Its value exceeds ten billion dollars.
James Webb; operates in the infrared range. In addition, it is a hundred times more powerful than the Hubble. Its creators reported that it should eventually be located in a halo orbit at the Sun's Lagrange L2 point & mdash; Earth.
Earlier it was reported that the launch of James Webb postponed until December 25 due to adverse weather conditions in the European spaceport area in French Guiana.