It's a Holiday Miracle: The James Webb Space Telescope Is on The Launchpad!

🗓 Launch is currently scheduled for December 25th at 12:20 UTC.

Join @EverythingScienceChat for frequent updates and coverage.

Article | #JWST
@EverythingScience

🚀 James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is launching in 60 minutes
Launch provider Arianespace 🇫🇷
Vehicle Ariane 5 ECA+
Pad Ariane Launch Area 3, Kourou 🇬🇫

Mission information 🌍
Type Astrophysics
Orbit Sun-Earth L2

ℹ️ The James Webb Space Telescope is a space telescope developed by NASA, ESA and CSA to succeed the Hubble Space Telescope as NASA's flagship astrophysics mission.

🔴 Watch the launch live!
🕓 Time of lift-off is 12:20 UTC+0

T-5 minutes to launch! All systems and weather GO for launch.
#JWST #UnfoldTheUniverse

LAUNCH! Ariane 5 launches with the James Webb Space Telescope!

Overview:
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/12/ariane-5-webb-launch/

NSF Livestream, with Chris G (ChrisG NSF) at the launch site:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rARTOhbLDg
Source: @NASASpaceflight

Nominal trajectory.

Staging!

There go the boosters.
Source: @NASASpaceflight

Fairing jettison successful! Another "phew!" moment.
Source: @NASASpaceflight

Staging 1-2 - second stage ignition.
Source: @NASASpaceflight

S/C Sep! James Webb Space Telescope has been deployed after a flawless Ariane 5 launch.

Lots of milestones are still to come.

Overview:
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/12/ariane-5-webb-launch/

NSF Livestream:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rARTOhbLDg
Source: @NASASpaceflight

What a spectacular Christmas gift from NASA and @ESA.
Source: @SciGuySpace

Array deploy! JWST is alive and now able to be power positive.
Source: @NASASpaceflight

Success! The James Webb Space Telescope Has Blasted Off Launching a New Era in Astronomy

It is expected to take a month to reach its remote destination and is expected to begin service in June.

#UnfoldTheUniverse
Article | #JWST
@EverythingScience

📞 Hello Webb? It's us, Earth!

Our team just deployed the gimbaled antenna assembly, which includes Webb’s high-data-rate dish antenna. This antenna will be used to send at least 28.6 Gbytes of data down from the observatory, twice a day: https://go.nasa.gov/3qnXZQt
Source: @NASAWebb

James Webb Space Telescope separation recap

This real-time video shows the
separation of the James Webb Space Telescope from the Ariane 5 launch vehicle and the subsequent solar array deployment without transmission artefacts.

Thanks to Ariane 5’s highly precise launch trajectory Webb’s solar array was able to deploy soon after separation from the Ariane 5, capturing sunlight to power the observatory.

This video shows the view from Ariane 5’s upper stage, taken by a camera manufactured by Irish company Réaltra Space Systems Engineering.

Video (ESA) | #JWST
@EverythingScience