Ongoing analysis to resolve an issue observed in the last two Ariane 5 launches could (further) delay the launch of NASA's James Webb Telescope.
The last time Ariane 5 flew was in August 2020, to deliver two communications satellites and Northrop Grumman's Mission Expansion Vehicle 2 into a geostationary transfer orbit. Since then, nothing. How to explain it? A few days ago, Arianespace finally acknowledged that post-flight analyzes conducted on the launcher's last two launches had indicated a "less than nominal" fairing separation.
According to some experts, the separation of the structure supposed to house the payload during the ascent to space would indeed have generated more vibrations than expected. While none of the payloads were damaged during these two flights (in February and August 2020), these "incidents" did raise some concerns for future missions.
“We have decided to carry out a series of additional checks with RUAG (the manufacturer of Ariane rocket fairings, editor’s note) and ArianeGroup to guarantee the highest level of quality and of reliability. The progress of these investigations remains positive” , assures Arianespace in a press release, taken up by Spacenews.
The question is:could the launch of the James Webb Telescope, still scheduled for October 31, be delayed because of these technical glitches? For now, we still don't know, but it is indeed possible.
We know that Ariane 5 must launch two missions before that of the American telescope. The second of these flights (the one preceding that of the JWT) will aim to deliver Eutelsat Quantum (operator Eutelsat) and Star One D2 (operator Embratel Star One) satellites into orbit. However, in its latest earnings report on May 11, Eutelsat said that launch had slipped from the end of the second quarter of this year to the third quarter, without specifying a date.
That being said, on the same day, Greg Robinson, program director of the James Webb Telescope, for his part pointed out that the American mission could only be launched four approximately months after the last Ariane 5 flight. Thus, if we are to believe these statements, it is difficult to imagine the JWT being launched on October 31 as planned. If we expect a final launch of Ariane 5 at the beginning of the third quarter, i.e. at the beginning of July, then the launch of the JWT could slip into early November (four months later).
On paper, it's not very disturbing. Unlike planetary missions, the James Webb Telescope can indeed benefit from a launch window almost every day. That said, we can't help but see a certain irony in it.
On this project, the Ariane 5 launcher has indeed long been considered the least risky aspect of the mission. And for good reason, the vehicle typically operates multiple flights each year and only suffered its last major launch failure in 2002. But while the James Webb Telescope, after several budget crises and other threats of Congressional cancellation, is finally ready to be released into space, it is ultimately this launcher that could fail.
However, it should be put into perspective. This instrument will indeed revolutionize our approach to the Universe by probing space like never before. So we can wait a few more weeks.
