时间:2025-04-02 09:47:28 来源:网络整理编辑:休閑
We're all going to have to keep waiting before we see NASA's most complicated space science mission
We're all going to have to keep waiting before we see NASA's most complicated space science mission -- the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) -- come to fruition.。
The space agency announced Tuesday that the launch of the JWST -- the huge, complex tool intended to succeed the Hubble Space Telescope -- has been delayed by nearly a year. 。
Instead of launching the JWST in the spring of 2019 (a timeframe that was already the result of numerous delays), NASA is now planning to launch the $8 billion mission in May 2020.。
SEE ALSO:2 galaxies merge as 1 in remarkable Hubble Telescope photo。The project has been mired in technical and developmental delays for years, and the most recent delay is the result of numerous challenges that have taken longer to resolve than expected, NASA officials said.。
“Considering the investment NASA and our international partners have made, we want to proceed systematically through these last tests, with the additional time necessary, to be ready for a May 2020 launch,” Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, said in a statement. 。
The astronomy community has been waiting for the JWST to launch for just about a decade, eager to get their hands on the data it will provide.。
A generation of astronomers are counting on this telescope to launch in the near future in order to answer some of the most important questions about the universe, such as how stars form, what planets are made of, and what early galaxies looked like. 。
The Hubble won't be around forever -- the intrepid telescope is expected to come to the end of its life sometime in the coming decade -- so having the JWST ready to succeed it is key to the future of space science on a grand scale. 。
The actual spacecraft is also ambitious.。
Thanks for signing up! 。
The JWST is designed to peer into the universe in infrared light, allowing it to cut through dust and see the interesting stars, planets, and other objects beyond it.。
The telescope uses huge, gold-coated mirrors necessary to observe distant objects, and it comes complete with a giant tennis court-sized sunshield which should help keep the spacecraft cool as it gathers data on humanity's behalf.。
While all of those components are impressive, they have also created some serious technical challenges that need to be overcome before launch.。
This most recent delay will likely incur cost overruns large enough to require NASA to ask Congress to reauthorize the project. It's unclear what that possible re-authorization will mean for the program, but either way, Congress probably won't be happy.。
Things appeared to be going well since the JWST mission was reset in 2011 after years of prior delays, setting the new, and seemingly firm, funding cap at $8 billion.。
Since 2011, JWST was on track for its possible launch in 2018, but when the project moved into integration and testing, things got complicated. 。
“Webb is the highest priority project for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate, and the largest international space science project in U.S. history," NASA's acting administrator Robert Lightfoot said in the statement.。Via Giphy。
"All the observatory’s flight hardware is now complete, however, the issues brought to light with the spacecraft element are prompting us to take the necessary steps to refocus our efforts on the completion of this ambitious and complex observatory." 。
Those issues included small tears in the tennis court-sized membranes that make up the telescope's sunshield and other problems related to the integration of the telescope with the rest of the spacecraft.。
In the coming years, NASA will need to rigorously test the telescope's deployment on the ground before it ever launches to space.。
That level of deployment testing is particularly important for the JWST because NASA won't be able to service it while it's in space, 1 million miles away, unlike the Hubble, which was serviced in orbit several times, most recently in 2009.。
But even thinking about what might happen once the JWST reaches orbit might be getting ahead of ourselves. 。
Olympic security asks female Iranian fan to drop protest sign2025-04-02 09:43
Brilliant New York Post cover perfectly sums up Trump's White House2025-04-02 09:27
This Dutch model looks EXACTLY like Gigi Hadid. Seriously, it's uncanny.2025-04-02 09:07
'Game of Thrones' Season 7, episode 5 photos: 'Eastwatch'2025-04-02 08:47
Balloon fanatic Tim Kaine is also, of course, very good at harmonica2025-04-02 08:32
Chinese tourists get arrested for posing with Nazi salutes in Germany2025-04-02 08:14
People are really admiring this perfect circle of shopping trolleys2025-04-02 08:12
The Navy SEAL movie of summer has disappeared. Poof. Gone.2025-04-02 08:09
Felix the cat just raised £5000 for charity because she's the hero we all need2025-04-02 07:31
Euron Greyjoy is 'Game of Thrones' Season 7's wild card2025-04-02 07:15
You will love/hate Cards Against Humanity's new fortune cookies2025-04-02 09:38
The LG V30 will have a huge, 62025-04-02 09:29
Find out how much money you could be getting for your place on Airbnb2025-04-02 09:18
Mow your lawn this Saturday and get a free video game about mowing your lawn2025-04-02 08:42
Felix the cat just raised £5000 for charity because she's the hero we all need2025-04-02 07:55
Fingerlings robot toy brings the cute to your fingertips2025-04-02 07:54
'GTA' player gets so rich he spirals into existential hell2025-04-02 07:46
'The Emoji Movie' Review2025-04-02 07:22
This chart shows just how high Simone Biles can jump2025-04-02 07:11
This cheap, ugly gadget will really let you watch TV for free2025-04-02 07:05