Finally- Next Gen James Webb Telescope set for launch

[megman]

*Guyana

[Animal]

at least they found a date that didn't interfere with anyone's plans.

[CentralTexasCrude]

at least they found a date that didn't interfere with anyone's plans.

can you imagine 25+ years and $10 billion invested and it could all go up in smoke with one faulty pump

[CentralTexasCrude]

*Guyana

Guyana is British with the capital at Georgetown. French Guiana is East on the other side of Suriname

[fouts]

Size perspective

I wonder how many boxes of Reynolds Wrap that took

i am trying to wrap my head around how this is all going to work. first they have to put all of that (in the picture) into some kind of a rocket. Then that rocket has to open a cargo bay big enough to push that shit outside. Then that stuff has to have its own rockets in order to fly itself way the fuck out there to get to its orbit spot.

Why aren't there entire tv shows explaining how this is all going to work?

once it's underway, an aerosol can is enough thrust to steer it and change its orbit. I often wondered if they changed the telescope (like the Hubble) to point to earth how much detail could see and what the FOV would be?

[Antknot]

Launched.
And separated from launch vehicle.

[jsdspif]

This is somewhat off topic but concerns rocket launches and outer space. How close could a human be to a rocket (like the space shuttle) when it launches? I don't mean an answer like "people watch it from 9 miles away,that's as close as you can get" I mean if there were no fences or whatever, how close to it could you be and live through it?
The other question is can a gun be fired in space? Like if you were on the moon and had a pistol would the pistol be able to shoot? I thought it wouldn't because it would need oxygen,but on time tunnel last night they were on the moon and shooting pistols. J-Bird needs to know.

[woohooguy]

Pretty fascinating piece of equipment. I posted the video simulation of its orbit, its actually getting farther from the sun, not closer.

It has the ability to communicate with Earth at least twice a day, utilizing satellite relays and various DSn (Dee Space Network) antennas on earth. It can transmit some 57 gigs of data per day, at an anticipated speed of up to 28mbps, about what the typical American home cable internet can provide in areas still operating on conventional (legacy network) cable.

It is solar powered, has enough propellant for 10 years of service, if all goes well. maybe if something goes wrong with the solar shield, they can park it behind a larger planet farther out, to shield from the sun, and still get work done at the expense of less frequent comm.

In other news, I was just reading NASA's plan for the space station is to let it burn up in the atmosphere. Should be an amazing show when that actually happens in the next few years.

[Hyperv12]

Once it’s in orbit around the sun it will only take pictures at night.

[CentralTexasCrude]

This is somewhat off topic but concerns rocket launches and outer space. How close could a human be to a rocket (like the space shuttle) when it launches? I don't mean an answer like "people watch it from 9 miles away,that's as close as you can get" I mean if there were no fences or whatever, how close to it could you be and live through it?
The other question is can a gun be fired in space? Like if you were on the moon and had a pistol would the pistol be able to shoot? I thought it wouldn't because it would need oxygen,but on time tunnel last night they were on the moon and shooting pistols. J-Bird needs to know.

Man, you kind of have me stumped on the "gun in space thing". The oxygen thing says no but I'm not sure if you need it for the explosive force for the bullet. Great question

[Antknot]

This is somewhat off topic but concerns rocket launches and outer space. How close could a human be to a rocket (like the space shuttle) when it launches? I don't mean an answer like "people watch it from 9 miles away,that's as close as you can get" I mean if there were no fences or whatever, how close to it could you be and live through it?
The other question is can a gun be fired in space? Like if you were on the moon and had a pistol would the pistol be able to shoot? I thought it wouldn't because it would need oxygen,but on time tunnel last night they were on the moon and shooting pistols. J-Bird needs to know.

Man, you kind of have me stumped on the "gun in space thing". The oxygen thing says no but I'm not sure if you need it for the explosive force for the bullet. Great question

Gunpowder and modern “smokeless” propellants do not need external oxygen. Their formulations include a source of oxygen.

[CentralTexasCrude]

This is somewhat off topic but concerns rocket launches and outer space. How close could a human be to a rocket (like the space shuttle) when it launches? I don't mean an answer like "people watch it from 9 miles away,that's as close as you can get" I mean if there were no fences or whatever, how close to it could you be and live through it?
The other question is can a gun be fired in space? Like if you were on the moon and had a pistol would the pistol be able to shoot? I thought it wouldn't because it would need oxygen,but on time tunnel last night they were on the moon and shooting pistols. J-Bird needs to know.

Man, you kind of have me stumped on the "gun in space thing". The oxygen thing says no but I'm not sure if you need it for the explosive force for the bullet. Great question

Gunpowder and modern “smokeless” propellants do not need external oxygen. Their formulations include a source of oxygen.

Awesome. Thanks antknot

[jsdspif]

Another gun firing deal I thought of. What about if the gun gets wet,does that fire? On the old westerns I noticed that sometimes when i guy is fighting or whatever and gets thrown into a body of water he'll fire his pistol,sometimes it fires and other times it doesn't fire.

[Antknot]

Another gun firing deal I thought of. What about if the gun gets wet,does that fire? On the old westerns I noticed that sometimes when i guy is fighting or whatever and gets thrown into a body of water he'll fire his pistol,sometimes it fires and other times it doesn't fire.

Too general a question.

However there are firearms and ammunition designed to work after submergence. As long as the barrel is clear of obstructions, itthe ammo hasn't been too deep or submerged too long.

[rule34]

Another gun firing deal I thought of. What about if the gun gets wet,does that fire? On the old westerns I noticed that sometimes when i guy is fighting or whatever and gets thrown into a body of water he'll fire his pistol,sometimes it fires and other times it doesn't fire.

Old westerns are such a factual accurate recount of history.

[CentralTexasCrude]

Bump. It's unfurled.

I think you meant to be in some uncircumcised thread.

[CentralTexasCrude]

Bump. It's unfurled.

I think you meant to be in some uncircumcised thread.

I am, you started this one.

Yeah, thanks for the update. I've been kind of watching it. They don't seem to be having any problems on the deployment so far. Supposed to take almost a month just for that. Not sure how long after that to check calibrations and such before we start seeing images/photos.

[Animal]

right now its twice as far away from earth as the moon. That puts it a little over half way to its resting place in orbit at what they call "L2".

Its traveling about a 4/10ths miles per second. Needs to get a bit over 400,000 more miles.

[Animal]

It got 1/2 way to its final orbit in 7 days. but it looks like it will be around day 30 when it reaches the target location. I guess that means it is gradually slowing down as it goes?

Right now its speed is 0.3961 mi/sec. I'll check that in a day or two and see how it compares.

[CentralTexasCrude]

It got 1/2 way to its final orbit in 7 days. but it looks like it will be around day 30 when it reaches the target location. I guess that means it is gradually slowing down as it goes?

Right now its speed is 0.3961 mi/sec. I'll check that in a day or two and see how it compares.

Well at least you are showing patience now. I figured (like the Mars mission) you would be complaining they didn't spend another Billion so we could see it deployed in real time.

[Animal]

oh, i am highly disapplointed that this isn't getting more news coverage. other than me searching it out on my own, i have seen nothing about it. even pull up CNN.com right now and there is nothing on their front page.

It is mind blowing to me the technical sophistication of this mission and how little people seem to give a fuck. You can read anything you would ever want to know about Betty White on any news site you choose today. But don't expect to see any stories on this.

[CentralTexasCrude]

oh, i am highly disapplointed that this isn't getting more news coverage. other than me searching it out on my own, i have seen nothing about it. even pull up CNN.com right now and there is nothing on their front page.

It is mind blowing to me the technical sophistication of this mission and how little people seem to give a fuck. You can read anything you would ever want to know about Betty White on any news site you choose today. But don't expect to see any stories on this.

Agree. "Yawn. What are the Kardashian's doing today".

[Animal]

It got 1/2 way to its final orbit in 7 days. but it looks like it will be around day 30 when it reaches the target location. I guess that means it is gradually slowing down as it goes?

Right now its speed is 0.3961 mi/sec. I'll check that in a day or two and see how it compares.

Speed update. Okay, its been around 24 hours and the speed has reduced to 0.3740 mi/second. It is showing to be 22 days away from its final position.

If it loses .02 mi/sec each day, that would mean it would lose .44 mi/sec in speed over the next 22 days, which would bring it to a stop. So, maybe that is what it is doing. Maybe its speed is set to gradually be decelerating until it stops at exactly the right location.

[Antknot]

It got 1/2 way to its final orbit in 7 days. but it looks like it will be around day 30 when it reaches the target location. I guess that means it is gradually slowing down as it goes?

Right now its speed is 0.3961 mi/sec. I'll check that in a day or two and see how it compares.

Speed update. Okay, its been around 24 hours and the speed has reduced to 0.3740 mi/second. It is showing to be 22 days away from its final position.

If it loses .02 mi/sec each day, that would mean it would lose .44 mi/sec in speed over the next 22 days, which would bring it to a stop. So, maybe that is what it is doing. Maybe its speed is set to gradually be decelerating until it stops at exactly the right location.

Yes, that beats flying past and waist img fuel to get back

[stonedmegman]

ARE WE THERE YET???