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#NASA James Webb Space Telescope (WST) links /via @clacke

1. Delayed launch: 2021-12-24 or later https://www.space.com/james-webb-space-telescope-launch-delay-december-24 and https://blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2021/12/14/webb-space-telescope-launch-date-update/

2. Delayed again: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/james-webb-space-telescope-launch-update

3. Some things that could go wrong with the WST: https://www.space.com/james-webb-space-telescope-deployment-points-of-failure

I haven't delved into it much. In particular, I have not sought out the answer to "Does the launch of the WST mean that the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) will be retired and deactivated?" ... It seems to me that if HST is still usable, they could benefit from running both simultaneously until HST is not longer usable. But then, I also favor investing money in rebuilding the big Arecibo radio telescope ... and adding smaller additional radio telescopes. When I visited the site, I left before dark, but if the site is dark enough and has clear skies often enough, I'd even be in favor of adding an advanced optical telescope.

If nothing else, they could add HST to the NASA Goldstone site's educational programs (I think schoolkids get to aim and monitor a radio telescope and get a lesson on interpreting the data received). I also still think some kind of networked "radiotelescope at home" project similar to the "SETI@Home" project (which runs on #BOINC) could be great for citizen science.

#NASA #Hubble #HST #Webb #WST #SETI #Arecibo #Goldstone

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