Since the launch of the Hubble telescope it has been 28 years, so the completion of his mission, scheduled for 30 June 2021. NASA has already prepared a replacement for a few months before the end of his work will be the launch of “James Webb”.
The launch of a new telescope has been postponed, and at the moment it is scheduled for March 2021. Transfers associated with the lack of time for testing the working systems of the machine. For example, scientists it is important to verify functionality of all communications systems that are required to communicate with ground stations during the first six hours of the flight.
On the website of the telescope there was a message that the communication system successfully completed two phases of testing. In the first test was verified the possibility of data transfer between the machine and the stations of the providers of communication services new Mexico, California and Kenya. The second test proved the ability to control the telescope from the mission control Center in Baltimore.
The participation of a large number of service providers when necessary because of the geometry of the Earth relative to the orbit and the altitude of “James Webb”. In the first hours of the mission scientists, it is important to communicate with the apparatus without interruption. Six hours later the telescope will be located at the same distance between Earth and the Moon. During research work it will be on the geosynchronous orbit. For sending commands over long distances, use the deep space Network of NASA.
The telescope will search and study of space objects. The first studies will begin six months after launch. The machine was created in cooperation of 17 countries and equipped with a composite mirror with a diameter of 6.5 meters. It is expected that the telescope will last at least 5 years.
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NASA tested the performance of the communication system of the telescope “James Webb”
Ramis Ganiev