Aerospace Testing InternationalAerospace Testing International
  • News
    • A-E
      • Acoustic & Vibration
      • Avionics
      • Data Acquisition
      • Defense
      • Drones & Air Taxis
      • Electric & Hybrid
      • EMC
      • Engine Testing
      • Environmental Testing
    • F-L
      • Fatigue Testing
      • Flight Testing
      • Helicopters & Rotorcraft
      • High Speed Imaging
      • Industry News
    • M-S
      • Materials Testing
      • NDT
      • Simulation & Training
      • Software
      • Space
      • Structural Testing
      • Supplier News
    • T-Z
      • Technology
      • Telemetry & Communications
      • Weapons Testing
      • Wind Tunnels
  • Features
  • Magazines
    • September 2023
    • June 2023
    • March 2023
    • December 2022
    • SHOWCASE 2023
    • Archive Issues
    • Subscribe Free!
  • Opinion
  • Webinars
  • Events
    • All Events
    • Aerospace Test & Development Show
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Suppliers
    • Supplier Spotlights
    • Technical Papers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job – It’s FREE!
    • Manage Jobs (Employers)
LinkedIn YouTube X (Twitter)
LinkedIn YouTube X (Twitter)
Subscribe to magazine Subscribe to email newsletter Media Pack
Aerospace Testing InternationalAerospace Testing International
  • News
      • Acoustic & Vibration
      • Avionics
      • Data Acquisition
      • Defense
      • Drones & Air Taxis
      • Electric & Hybrid
      • EMC
      • Engine Testing
      • Environmental Testing
      • Fatigue Testing
      • Flight Testing
      • Helicopters & Rotorcraft
      • High Speed Imaging
      • Industry News
      • Materials Testing
      • NDT
      • Simulation & Training
      • Software
      • Space
      • Structural Testing
      • Supplier News
      • Technology
      • Telemetry & Communications
      • Weapons Testing
      • Wind Tunnels
  • Features
  • Magazines
    1. Showcase 2024
    2. September 2023
    3. June 2023
    4. March 2023
    5. December 2022
    6. SHOWCASE 2023
    7. Archive Issues
    8. Subscribe Free!
    Featured
    3rd November 2023

    In this Issue – Showcase 2024

    Online Magazines By Ben Sampson
    Recent

    In this Issue – Showcase 2024

    3rd November 2023

    In this Issue – September 2023

    30th August 2023

    In this Issue – June 2023

    7th June 2023
  • Opinion
  • Webinars
  • Events
    • All Events
    • Aerospace Test & Development Show
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Suppliers
    • Supplier Spotlights
    • Technical Papers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job – It’s FREE!
    • Manage Jobs (Employers)
LinkedIn YouTube X (Twitter)
Aerospace Testing InternationalAerospace Testing International
Environmental Testing

Test challenges blamed for James Webb Space Telescope delay

Ben SampsonBy Ben Sampson5th March 20182 Mins Read
Share LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email
James Webb telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope’s mirror section

The US Government Accountability Office has blamed delays to the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope on problems with testing and integrating components and has said more delays and costs are likely.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is the planned successor to the Hubble Telescope and is one of NASA’s most complex and expensive projects.

The infrared telescope was due to be launched in October 2018 on an Ariane 5 rocket, but was rescheduled in September last year by NASA to be launched between March and June 2019.

A recent assessment by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) of the work left to complete on the project has found that the launch date is likely to be delayed again and that the project will break a US government-set US$8bn cost cap it if that happens.

According to a report issued by the GAO the James Webb Space Telescope has made considerable progress with its integration and test activities in the last year. However, it found that the project has already used all of the time set aside for unforeseen problems dealing with technical issues.

These issues include an anomaly on the telescope found on the optical mirror during vibration testing that would have affected image quality. Additional testing determined that the anomaly was caused by a test equipment setup issue and not related to the flight hardware itself.

Issues were also found with the folding and deployment of the observatory’s sunshield, when several tears in the sunshield membrane layers. The spacecraft’s thruster modules also have to be replaced, after valves in the propulsion system were found to be leaking during tests.

Issues also have to be solved that were found during the cryovacuum test.

Most of the remaining work is being done by Northrop Grumman, which is developing JWST’s sunshield, the Optical Telescope Element, the spacecraft, and the mid-infrared instrument’s cryo-cooler, in addition to integrating and testing the observatory.

A complete update on JWST’s status from NASA is expected in early 2018 in a Standing Review Board report to program and project management regarding JWST’s schedule and feasibility for meeting its new launch window.

March 6, 2018

Share. Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Email
Previous ArticleBoeing to test autonomous drones in Australia
Next Article German drones use smartphone tech to avoid collisions
Ben Sampson

Ben has worked as a journalist and editor, covering technology, engineering and industry for the last 20 years. Initially writing about subjects from nuclear submarines to autonomous cars to future design and manufacturing technologies, he was editor of a leading UK-based engineering magazine before becoming editor of Aerospace Testing in 2017.

Related Posts

Space

Space technology test center to be built in Snowdonia, UK

4th December 20233 Mins Read
Space

Ariane 6 rocket passes key launch pad test

28th November 20233 Mins Read
Space

Skyrora and Spirit to partner on rocket R&D

22nd November 20232 Mins Read
Latest Posts

Wisk completes unmanned BVLOS test flights in New Zealand

5th December 2023

Dassault’s Falcon 6X biz jet enters service

5th December 2023

Lilium picks Honeywell for thermal management in eVTOL

5th December 2023
Supplier Spotlight
  • G Systems
Our Social Channels
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
Getting in Touch
  • Free Email Newsletters
  • Contact Us
  • Meet the Team
  • Media Pack
Related Topics
  • Aircraft Interiors
  • Business Jet Interiors
FREE WEEKLY NEWS EMAIL!

Get the 'best of the week' from this website direct to your inbox every Wednesday

© 2023 Mark Allen Group Ltd | All Rights Reserved
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.