James Webb Space Telescope has been evolved in an international partnership among ESA, NASA, and CSA.
The James Webb Telescope is ready finally for launching after going through several difficulties and the recent was a communication failure. It has been delayed from 10 years and the cost overruns into billions. Nevertheless, when preparation and checking are done and finally the telescope lifts off, yet still it will have to face great challenges from the Moon.
However, if the launch is not timed correctly and further delayed then the moon could act as an obstacle for the James Webb Telescope. The gravitational pull of the moon can lead to a change in the orbit of the telescope, a replacement to the Hubble, and can become a great carelessness far away from the earth.
However, the launch of the James Webb Telescope was scheduled for 22nd December, but after the engineer observed the issue of communication among the observatory and the launch vehicle system, the launch has been postponed to 24th December 2021.
Europe’s Ariane 5 rocket will launch the James Webb Telescope from Spaceport in French Guiana.
The James Telescope is to be kept into a precision transfer orbit, the second Lagrange point (L2), on the way to its destination. However, this point is far away which is 1.5 million kilometers from the earth, which means it is four times far away from the moon.
As per the report in the Atlantic, if this launch is further delayed to the month of January, then the scientist and the engineers would find some other issues and faults, thanks to the Moon.
To reach the desired location, the telescope must follow a specific route while its propulsion pushes it far from the Moon. However, if the launch is further delayed then relatively the position of Moon will change.
The flight-dynamics engineer at Goddard Space Flight Center NASA, Karen Richon stated to the Atlantic that if the Moon arrives very close to the path of the telescope, then its powerful gravitational tug would either push it away or pull it closer. However, both situations are hazardous for the telescope.
If in case, the Moon pushes the telescope forward then it will save the fuel and can appear helpful, but if the Moon pulls the James Webb telescope towards itself, then the telescope has to burn more fuel to course correct and recover its set orbit. However, it can throw a telescope completely far away from its route.
If the Moon acts as the villain, then the telescope will wind up as a space junk at a location that is far away from the planet, whereas built at an estimated value of approximately $10 billion.
If the telescope is inoperable then the engineers are not going to take any chance with such a fast launch in spite of the long delay.
At present, in the 3rd week of December, the moon has gone beyond the path of interference and the way of the Telescope is clear to go, but if it is delayed till the New Year then the Moon could add more complications, which means it’s an opening of the small window for the scientist and engineers to rush for the launch.
Once the James Webb Telescope is launched, it will take around two weeks to reach its desired orbit from where it will examine the universe at longer wavelengths than visible light, particularly in the mid-infrared and near-infrared.
After being deployed, it will remain in six months commissioning period, next to its onboard ride of 26 minutes the Ariane 5launch vehicle.
