James Webb Space Telescopes Spacecraft Loses Screws, Washers During Test
14 replies, posted
http://www.ibtimes.com/james-webb-space-telescopes-spacecraft-loses-screws-washers-during-test-2677999
I freak out losing screws at home already
Considering the delays this thing already got last month, this is pretty disappointing, and I'm sure it will likely lead to more delays down the line.
However, this sort of thing is exactly why there is such rigorous testing for spacecraft, especially ones as sensitive as the JWST. I'd rather they catch these issues now, rather than while the craft is in space with no possibility of repair.
This telescope is literally too big to fail. The cost overruns on this program have been so, so insanely massive. Like, 5-6 times the initial budget (if not more), and a final cost of ~$9b on top of a ten year launch delay.
I'm hyped for the pictures it's gonna, but holy hell that's a lot of money.
I can't think of many things that I feel justify being a massive money-sink more than a game-changing scientific instrument like the JWST is expected to be.
Not to say that it justifies being a massive money-sink. Just that, of all the things that could be a massive money-sink, I feel it's the least offensive money-sink.
Yeah sure, there are worse things to spend money on (*cough* the Senate Launch System *cough*), but still, this had also sucked money away from other scientific endeavours. Considering NASA's budget hasn't moved, it has definitely made other programs suffer.
shoulda used some lockttight on those, good we caught it early.
Good Lord. Definitely a "Whoops... heh, just as well" moment. I thought the Hubble fail (twice) was bad, imagine the uproar in today's society if this thing had gorked on arrival to orbit.
Maybe in the future people will launch telescopes with some sort of small repair-robot(s). Would be a huge bummer to send a telescope of this caliber or larger into space and the telescope fails to operate with zero chance of being repaired.
Let's just hope it's as good as we think it'll be.
https://youtu.be/heESAW2addo?t=6s
I hope they polish the mirrors right this time
I still remember the political cartoons giving NASA shit about that, including one that showed "the designed of the Hubble Telescope" as Mr. Magoo.
Still not as bad a fuck-up as the Beagle lander though. RIP
As big of a money sink that it is, I'd rather billions and billions get dumped into science and things that expand our knowledge of the universe, also solving problems and creating new methods and technologies in the process, than things like, a new aircraft carrier
I mean they polished Hubble's mirror to a very high precision, they just trusted the wrong tool iirc.