James Webb Space Telescope (Technical Post ONLY !)

[Archibald]

I second that opinion. Having cost NINE BILLION DOLLARS and sucked a lot of air out of NASA science budget, that thing MUST work properly.

 

[sferrin]

I second that opinion. Having cost NINE BILLION DOLLARS and sucked a lot of air out of NASA science budget, that thing MUST work properly.

I can't imagine the $hitstorm if it gets in position and doesn't work.

 

[FighterJock]

I second that opinion. Having cost NINE BILLION DOLLARS and sucked a lot of air out of NASA science budget, that thing MUST work properly.

I can't imagine the $hitstorm if it gets in position and doesn't work.

Especially when it is going to the second Lagrange point and there would be no way that we could get a manned rocket out there to fix the telescope unlike Hubble in 1994.

 

[sferrin]

I second that opinion. Having cost NINE BILLION DOLLARS and sucked a lot of air out of NASA science budget, that thing MUST work properly.

I can't imagine the $hitstorm if it gets in position and doesn't work.

Especially when it is going to the second Lagrange point and there would be no way that we could get a manned rocket out there to fix the telescope unlike Hubble in 1994.

Not immediately. Maybe SpaceX could get a BFR out there to fix it or bring it back. (Would be awesome if they brought Hubble back to put in the Smithsonian.)

 

[Flyaway]

NASA struggling to get James Webb Space Telescope across the finish line

http://spacenews.com/nasa-struggling-to-get-james-webb-space-telescope-across-the-finish-line/

Title says it all.

JWST suffers new problem during spacecraft testing

In a presentation at a meeting of the National Academies’ Space Studies Board here May 3, Greg Robinson, the JWST program director at NASA Headquarters, said some “screws and washers” appear to have come off the spacecraft during recent environmental testing at a Northrop Grumman facility in Southern California.

Technicians found the items after the spacecraft element of JWST, which includes the bus and sunshield but not its optics and instruments, was moved last weekend from one chamber for acoustics tests to another to prepare for vibration testing.

http://spacenews.com/jwst-suffers-new-problem-during-spacecraft-testing/

 

[litzj]

NASA struggling to get James Webb Space Telescope across the finish line

http://spacenews.com/nasa-struggling-to-get-james-webb-space-telescope-across-the-finish-line/

Title says it all.

JWST suffers new problem during spacecraft testing

In a presentation at a meeting of the National Academies’ Space Studies Board here May 3, Greg Robinson, the JWST program director at NASA Headquarters, said some “screws and washers” appear to have come off the spacecraft during recent environmental testing at a Northrop Grumman facility in Southern California.

Technicians found the items after the spacecraft element of JWST, which includes the bus and sunshield but not its optics and instruments, was moved last weekend from one chamber for acoustics tests to another to prepare for vibration testing.

http://spacenews.com/jwst-suffers-new-problem-during-spacecraft-testing/

IR Sensor requires high level of shielding for high SNR...

 

[Flyaway]

The launch of JWST has been delayed again to NET March 2021.

Quoted from Nasaspaceflight forum.

IRB is - again - very critical of Northrop Grumman, noting that simple checks to make sure right equipment/solvents were being use were not done. Those errors cost $600 million

Five issues lead to delays to March 2021.

1. Human errors
2. Embedded problems
3. Lack of experience
4. Excessive optimism
5. Complexity

NASA accepts IRB's recommendations and are already implementing most of them.

Launch NET 30 March 2021 launch.

Replan completed a total life-cycle cost is $9.66bn -- including 5 years of operation.

Development cost is increasing from $8bn to $8.8bn -- cost cap breach.

NASA confirms that Congress will have to re-authorize cost increase at this point.

Sunshield fasteners came loose during acoustic test of sunshield integrated with s/c.

80% confidence in March 2021 launch date.

Just a reminder, the May 2020 date 3 months had a 70% confidence date.

Additional NASA engineers have been re-assigned to work with Northrop Grumman; some of these have been added to those that are physically on-site in the NG Redondo Beach CA facility.

Some NASA engineers were previously working on JWST OTIS; others are Goddard SFC engineers re-assigned from other projects to JWST.

(OTIS = OTE + ISIM = the cryogenic portion of JWST)
(OTE = Optical Telescope Element)
(ISIM = Integrated Science Instrument Module)
***

Chris Gebhardt with follow-up question re: Ariane 5 availability!
***

Teleconference closing.

 

[Flyaway]

Here’s the IRB for JWST.

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/webb_irb_report_and_response_0.pdf

Here’s a video announcement addressed to NASA employees, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine discussed the latest delay.

https://youtu.be/6CmtZLKgIWs

 

[Michel Van]

ESA put the Webb Launch on the four last of Ariane 5.

 

[DrRansom]

Northrop Space division is having a bad year.

 

[Archibald]

Michel Van: that's mind blowing. A very bitting irony might be: imagine if Arianespace had to keep Ariane 5 on life-support just to luanch Webb, at a time when Ariane 6 is critized as the wrong answer to Falcon 9R.
So Webb would help SpaceX ? ;D (just kidding !)

 

[FighterJock]

All this talk about the problems with the delay's with the James Webb Space Telescope which has now got delayed again to 2021 has got me thinking, what would happen if the James Webb Space Telescope got cancelled? Would there be any cost penalties involved? And would NASA replace the JWST with a proper successor to the Hubble Space Telescope a sort off Hubble mark 2.0?

 

[TomS]

All this talk about the problems with the delay's with the James Webb Space Telescope which has now got delayed again to 2021 has got me thinking, what would happen if the James Webb Space Telescope got cancelled? Would there be any cost penalties involved? And would NASA replace the JWST with a proper successor to the Hubble Space Telescope a sort off Hubble mark 2.0?

Can't see NASA building a Hubble Mk 2. Doing a second optical/UV telescope with basically the same resolution seems a bit pointless -- they've already done the majority of the important new science that they can do with those types of optics. Sure, they'll always find new tasks for Hubble until it dies but none of them are important enough to justify launching a new telescope.

 

[Hobbes]

In the unlikely event JWST is cancelled, WFIRST is the next in line, but that's a very different mission.

JWST is a proper successor to Hubble: it will fill in the blanks left by Hubble's limited coverage of the IR spectrum. Specifically, it will be able to see older galaxies that have redshifted so much they're only visible in IR.

 

[sferrin]

I thought WFIRST was already cancelled. (IMO cancelling the JWST at this point would be f--king retarded.)

 

[TomS]

I thought WFIRST was already cancelled. (IMO cancelling the JWST at this point would be f--king retarded.)

Fortunately not. They didn't fund it in the NASA budget request, but at least some money is in the House NASA appropriation.

http://spacenews.com/bridenstine-optimistic-wfirst-will-avoid-cancellation/

 

[sferrin]

I thought WFIRST was already cancelled. (IMO cancelling the JWST at this point would be f--king retarded.)

Fortunately not. They didn't fund it in the NASA budget request, but at least some money is in the House NASA appropriation.

http://spacenews.com/bridenstine-optimistic-wfirst-will-avoid-cancellation/

It'd be a real shame if they'd cancelled it given the NRO gifted them the optics.

 

[TomS]

It'd be a real shame if they'd cancelled it given the NRO gifted them the optics.

The NRO optics are a very small fraction of the mission cost. Depending on who you ask, using the NRO donation may actually increase the total expense.

 

[sferrin]

It'd be a real shame if they'd cancelled it given the NRO gifted them the optics.

The NRO optics are a very small fraction of the mission cost. Depending on who you ask, using the NRO donation may actually increase the total expense.

How so?

 

[TomS]

It'd be a real shame if they'd cancelled it given the NRO gifted them the optics.

The NRO optics are a very small fraction of the mission cost. Depending on who you ask, using the NRO donation may actually increase the total expense.

How so?

In essence, because the NRO optics are much bigger than originally planned for WFIRST, which means you need bigger cameras to take advantage of the optics.

 

[sferrin]

In essence, because the NRO optics are much bigger than originally planned for WFIRST, which means you need bigger cameras to take advantage of the optics.

Wouldn't you also be getting more capability though?

 

[Flyaway]

In essence, because the NRO optics are much bigger than originally planned for WFIRST, which means you need bigger cameras to take advantage of the optics.

Wouldn't you also be getting more capability though?

Hopefully we'll here from Blackstar on this matter.

 

[FighterJock]

Here is an interesting article about the current problems that the James Webb Space Telescope is facing. And it is not only the cost gap issue. Via Spaceflight Insider.

http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/missions/space-observatories/jwst-exceeds-cost-cap-launch-delayed-to-2021/

 

[Flyaway]

Good summary of the further delay of JWST:

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/3526/1

 

[fredymac]

Nothing new but some interesting views of the hardware.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zNsc0e3Zns

 

[FighterJock]

NASA are currently thinking about delaying the WFIRST space telescope to help fund the JWST, from Space News.

https://spacenews.com/nasa-weighs-delaying-wfirst-to-fund-jwst-overrun/

 

[Flyaway]

Northrop CEO offers to link JWST profit to mission success

The chief executive of Northrop Grumman said July 26 he is willing to make the profit his company earns on the James Webb Space Telescope contingent on the overall success of the mission.

“As a mechanism to ensure we are all aligned on mission success, Northrop Grumman has actually discussed this with NASA, and we are willing to place all of the fee that we’ve already earned and the fee that we may earn in the future at risk based on successful activation and demonstration of the telescope on orbit,” he said when asked about the proposal by the committee’s chairman, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas).

Smith pressed for more. “Would you agree to pay the 800 [million dollars] above capped costs?” he asked, a reference to the recent overrun above the mission’s $8 billion cost cap.

Bush declined. “Our view on that is that would create more of a fixed-price relationship on this program, which would significantly impede and impair the relationship between NASA and Northrop Grumman,” he responded. “As we are focused on mission success, we think that would be the wrong approach.”

Smith said he was disappointed. “I only wish that Northrop Grumman was willing to take responsibility and show a little bit more good faith,” he said. “But it sounds like you’ve made up your mind. I just happen to disagree with you.”

While most members appeared satisfied with Northrop Grumman’s efforts to address the JWST overrun, and highlighted the science and inspirational benefits, one congressman was not moved.

“I cannot join you in this uplifting testimony,” said Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) Whoever was responsible for JWST at the company, he told Bush, “failed us and failed the American people.”

https://spacenews.com/northrop-ceo-offers-to-link-jwst-profit-to-mission-success/

 

[FighterJock]

An interesting article about the James Webb Space Telescope being used to detect life. From the BBC.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-45400144

 

[TomcatViP]

Deleted

 

[Grey Havoc]

Regarding Hubble: https://www.yahoo.com/news/trouble-hubble-gyro-fails-space-telescope-162352644.html

 

[FighterJock]

Regarding Hubble: https://www.yahoo.com/news/trouble-hubble-gyro-fails-space-telescope-162352644.html

This is not good news for Hubble, I hope that it is just a glitch and they will try to solve the problem.

 

[FighterJock]

NASA has finally fixed the problem that forced the Hubble Space Telescope to go in to safe mode earlier this month.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-45955602

 

[Flyaway]

House spending bill fires warning shot at JWST

A new appropriations bill the House plans to vote on next week would provide $21.5 billion for NASA in 2019 but warns that any further problems with the James Webb Space Telescope could lead to its cancellation.

 

[FighterJock]

House spending bill fires warning shot at JWST

A new appropriations bill the House plans to vote on next week would provide $21.5 billion for NASA in 2019 but warns that any further problems with the James Webb Space Telescope could lead to its cancellation.

The future does not look good for the JWST. One question though, who would take the hit money wise if they canceled the JWST? :-\

 

[sferrin]

"Let's spend $8 billion+ on a space telescope, cancel it, and start a new space telescope program." Government efficiency in action.

 

[Moose]

They're firing off a warning shot, but not a very large one considering the full request is funded. The language is meant to draw attention, but they're making sure that they're not endangering the program.

 

[Flyaway]

JWST review board raises schedule concerns

As NASA commits to performing another cost and schedule estimate for the James Webb Space Telescope, the chairman of an independent review board said he’s concerned about its ability to remain on track for a launch in two years.

Speaking at a meeting of the Committee of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the National Academies’ Space Science Week event here March 26, Tom Young, who chaired the Independent Review Board chartered by NASA last year to review cost and schedule problems with JWST, said that since the agency revised the schedule of the mission last June work on the space telescope appeared be taking longer than expected.

While the board completed its assessment last June, NASA brought the board back last fall to assess how NASA implemented its recommendations. Its final report on that assessment was released by NASA March 1.

 

[Archibald]

oh sweet holly bejesus it will never end !!!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vUi1PdYn5nk

I got you baby... ;D

 

[sferrin]

Brought to you by the makers of the Senate Launch System.

 

[Grey Havoc]

From back in 2017: