NASA’s massive new space observatory has entered its most perilous phase yet as it begins the careful process of unfurling its delicate sunshield.
Summary
- NASA’s massive new space observatory has entered its most perilous phase yet as it begins the careful process of unfurling its delicate sunshield.
- The James Webb Space Telescope launched on Sunday (Dec. 25) and will be a revolutionary new observatory focused on studying the universe in infrared light.
- But first, it has to survive a monthlong trek out to its final post and a carefully choreographed deployment process.
- The process took four hours and concluded at 1:21 p.m. EST (1821 GMT), according to the agency.
- Live updates: NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope missionIn photos: The Christmas launch of NASA’s James Webb Space TelescopeUnfolding the forward UPS included dozens of individual steps, NASA officials wrote.