James Webb Space Telescope Cleared for December 22 Launch After Vibration Scare
NASA confirms the James Webb Space Telescope is ready for its December 22 liftoff after an unexpected vibration incident delayed earlier preparations.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope remains on schedule to launch on December 22 atop an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana. The $9.8 billion observatory overcomes years of technical delays, funding issues, and a global pandemic to finally reach this pivotal launch moment.
The launch timeline experiences a brief setback earlier in November when a clamp band unexpectedly releases and causes vibrations throughout the telescope. This incident pushes the original December 18 target date back by four days as NASA orders additional testing and a thorough anomaly review.
Technicians complete the required evaluations and determine that no observatory components suffer damage during the vibration event. With the telescope officially cleared by the engineering teams, Webb continues its final processing steps as it prepares to begin its highly anticipated mission.