James Webb Space Telescope, information, updates and discussion |
James Webb Space Telescope, information, updates and discussion |
Aug 23 2005, 02:01 PM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 134 Joined: 13-March 05 Member No.: 191 |
The manufacture of the JWST mirror blanks has now been completed.
Despite this milestone, the fate of JWST is still somewhat precarious, because although the scientific bang from the telescope is expected to be huge, the bucks required have increased to a staggering $4.5 billion. A Space.com article on the squeeze in NASA's space-based astronomy plans gives some background. The JWST home page can be found here. The Space Telescope Science Institute, which runs Hubble, also has a site here. As does ESA. |
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Nov 21 2005, 01:53 PM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 134 Joined: 13-March 05 Member No.: 191 |
Some more detail on the JWST delay to 2013. The article also says that the telescope will not be "descoped" to any great degree. Only some testing and instrumentation for low priority science will be removed. Cost is still $4.5 billion, but now has less risk, and a more even funding profile. And launch is likely to be on an Ariane 5, with a launch deal set for 2006.
With HSM 4 now more and more likely, this delay doesn't bother me so much. HST will last that long, and there will still be overlap between the two observatories. And SIM, which is seen as a casualty of the JWST overruns, has been giving a funding boost by Congress, and is on track for a 2012 launch, according to this story. |
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