NASA’s Webb Reaches Alignment Milestone, Optics Working Successfully “On March 11, the Webb team completed the stage of alignment known as “fine phasing.” At this key stage in the commissioning of Webb’s Optical Telescope Element, every optical parameter that has been checked and tested is performing at, or above, expectations. The team also found no critical issues and no measurable contamination or blockages to Webb’s optical path. The observatory is […]

Some cool pics of immense @MorganStanley advertisements in New York City in December after the launch of #NASAWebb with #astronomy and #astrobiology themes. #JWST #NASA pic.twitter.com/npbgCJ2V67 — NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) January 13, 2022

This picture made me cryyyy https://t.co/ospVUqSGxR pic.twitter.com/b8cXU2k9ue — Katy Mersmann (@KatyMersmann) January 8, 2022

Inspiring the Next generation of Explorers FYI @Dr_ThomasZ This photo shows one of James Webb's great-grandchildren watching the launch of James Webb Space Telescope – it was forwarded to me by Sean O'Keefe with the family's permission to post. #AdAstra #JWST #NASAWebb pic.twitter.com/8AkyuVBPzQ — NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) December 27, 2021

James Webb Space Telescope 26 December, 2021 Update – First Mid-Course Correction Burn Completed, NASA “At 7:50 pm EST, December 25, 2021, Webb’s first mid-course correction burn began. It lasted 65 minutes and is now complete. This burn is one of two milestones that are time critical — the first was the solar array deployment, which happened shortly after launch.” NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope launches in French Guiana, Washington […]

The James Webb Space Telescope Has Left Earth “The James Webb Space Telescope is safely in space, powered on and communicating with ground controllers. Webb continues in coast phase, and is now oriented correctly with respect to the Sun. At approximately 30 minutes after launch, Webb’s solar array began to open up. It is now fully deployed and we have confirmed that the spacecraft is power positive.” James Webb Space […]

NASA: Lessons from Ongoing Major Projects Can Inform Management of Future Space Telescopes, GAO “The projects in NASA’s current portfolio of major space telescopes–JWST, Roman, and SPHEREx–have roots in past decadal surveys on Astronomy and Astrophysics from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. NASA is now considering the results of the National Academies’ 2020 decadal survey, which may spur new projects in this portfolio. NASA has made improvements […]

Testing Confirms Webb Telescope on Track for Targeted Dec. 22 Launch, Arianespace “Engineering teams have completed additional testing confirming NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is ready for flight, and launch preparations are resuming toward Webb’s target launch date of Wednesday, Dec. 22, at 7:20 a.m. EST. Additional testing was conducted this week to ensure the observatory’s health following an incident that occurred when the release of a clamp band caused […]

Keith’s note: I just watched “The Hunt For Planet B“, a documentary on the James Webb Space Telescope which aired on CNN. I must say that this is a splendid film. It managed to capture the scope and breadth of what JWST is going to do and the scientific and political complexities that have dogged its development. Most importantly, however, this fim is about the people who have labored to […]

Keith’s note: It has been 24 hours and NASA has made no mention of this report. This new Decadal Survey covers the astronomy and astrophysics things that NASA will spend billions on over the coming decades. You’d think that this forward-looking, optimistic appraisal of the field would be something that NASA PAO and SMD would embrace. Yet NASA.gov, @NASA and SMD and PAO seem to be content to simply ignore […]