An image of the James Webb Space Telescope folded before it was launched. NASA/Chris Gunn
The telescope is on its way.
The observatory was launched from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. The time is 1220 GMT. The observatory executed a 65-minute-long burn on the thrusters that ended at 8:55 p.m., just 12.5 hours after the spacecraft began a vital maneuver on its month-long journey to its future outpost. According to a statement from NASA.
The point in space known as L2 is located on the opposite side of the sun and is where the space telescope is going to go. The first 10% of the journey was covered by the craft within 12 hours. When the telescope was about 100,000 miles away from Earth, the observatory burned off fuel to make sure it reached its destination.
The Christmas launch of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope launch is live.
The most important of the three burns that the spaceship will make during its journey to L2 was dubbed the Mid-Course Correction Burn 1a.
NASA says that the burn for Webb included a crucial constraint because it would require turning around and exposing the machinery.
The observatory's launch sequence was designed to provide just a little less power than required, rather than just a little more, because the observatory can only increase its speed. The observatory had the chance to fine tune its trajectory during the MCC1a burn.
The teams behind the telescope were recognized by President Joe Biden during the observatory's first leg of travel.
Biden wrote in a post this evening that he was happy that NASA and all who made the launch possible. Webb is an example of what can be accomplished when we dream big. We knew that this project would be risky, but it would also bring big rewards.
The observatory successfully executed two procedures that required specific timing. The deployment steps will be executed in a flexible manner.
The Gimbaled Antenna Assembly, which holds a key communications antenna, will be deployed on the day after the launch, according to a NASA timeline.
Follow her on social media: EmailMeghan Bartels at mbartels@space.com Follow us on social media.
