Ariane flight VA256

{{Main|Ariane 5}}

Ariane 5 is a heavy lift two-stage rocket with two solid fuel boosters. It was used in its ECA+ variant, which offers the highest payload mass capacity. The total launch mass of the vehicle is {{cvt|770000|kg}}.

{{Main|James Webb Space Telescope}}

The only payload on the flight was the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), a space-based observatory built by NASA and ESA. The launch is one of the European Space Agency's contributions to the project. The telescope had a launch mass of about {{cvt|6500|kg}} and a design lifetime of 5 to 10 years.

File:The James Webb Space Telescope Unloaded from the MN Colibri (51584657771).jpg

The James Webb Space Telescope arrived at a port in Kourou in French Guiana, on 12 October 2021 where it was unloaded from the MN Colibri cargo ship and transported by truck to the space centre.

On 22 November 2021 an incident was reported by NASA and Arianespace that a clamp band securing the payload to the adapter was released during integration activities, causing vibrations to the telescope. After some tests were performed, a review board concluded on 24 November 2021 that no payload component was damaged, and fuelling operations could be started.

{{Multiple image

| total_width = 300

| image1 = JWST launch configuration.png

| caption1 = Drawing of JWST in the payload faring

| image2 = The James Webb Space Telescope in the Cleanroom at the Launch Site (51604442070).jpg

| caption2 = JWST in the cleanroom in Guiana

}}

Spacecraft fuelling operations began on 25 November 2021, the fuelling system was disconnected on 3 December 2021, and verifications were concluded on 5 December 2021. The telescope's hypergolic fuel system was filled with approximately {{cvt|168|kg}} of hydrazine and {{cvt|133|kg}} of dinitrogen tetroxide, needed to reach and maintain its orbit after separation from the launch vehicle.

Following the rocket, which had already arrived on 29 November 2021, the telescope was moved to the final assembly building ({{lang|fr|Bâtiment d’Assemblage Final}} or BAF) on 7 December 2021. The payload was encapsulated inside the fairing on top of the rocket on 21 December 2021.

On 14 December 2021, a joint press release by NASA and Arianespace revealed that "a communication issue between the observatory and the launch vehicle system" was being addressed, further delaying the launch to no earlier than 24 December 2021.

Unfavorable weather forecasts for 24 December 2021 delayed the launch to Christmas Day, 25 December 2021.

File:Ariane 5 with James Webb Space Telescope Prelaunch (NHQ202112230012).jpg

The rocket was launched from the ELA-3 launch pad of the Guiana Space Centre on 25 December 2021 at 12:20 UTC (09:20 local time, 7:20 am U.S. EST). The DDO ({{Langx|fr|Directeur des Opérations|lit=Director of Operations}}) of the launch was Jean-Luc Voyer, who concluded his shift by saying, "Go Webb!"{{Cite news |title=Vidéo. Télescope James Webb : revivez en vidéo le lancement historique d'un titan de l'espace |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/sciences/video/2021/12/25/telescope-spatial-james-webb-revivez-le-decollage-et-la-mise-en-orbite-en-video_6107295_1650684.html |work=Le Monde}}

The launch was described by NASA as "flawless" and "perfect". A NASA systems engineer said "the efficiency or the accuracy with which Ariane put us on orbit and our accuracy and effectiveness in implementing our mid-course corrections" meant that there is "quite a bit of fuel margin ... roughly speaking, it’s around 20 years of propellant."{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Jamie |date=2022-01-10 |title=The Webb Space Telescope is fully deployed and 'could now last 20 years' says NASA. But what happens next? |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2022/01/10/the-webb-space-telescope-is-fully-deployed-and-could-now-last-20-years-says-nasa-but-what-happens-next/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110121059/https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2022/01/10/the-webb-space-telescope-is-fully-deployed-and-could-now-last-20-years-says-nasa-but-what-happens-next/ |archive-date=10 January 2022 |access-date=2022-01-11 |website=Forbes |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Berger |first=Eric |date=10 January 2022 |title=All hail the Ariane 5 rocket, which doubled the Webb telescope's lifetime |url=https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/01/all-hail-the-ariane-5-rocket-which-doubled-the-webb-telescopes-lifetime/ |access-date=11 January 2022 |website=www.arstechnica.com |publisher=Ars Technica}}

The James Webb Space Telescope was injected into a transfer trajectory that took it to the second Earth-Sun Lagrange point (L{{sub|2}}).

The separation of the launch vehicle second stage and the spacecraft occurred approximately 27 minutes after liftoff.{{Citation |title=James Webb Space Telescope separation | date=25 December 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jC2Ra1_61iw |access-date=2022-01-10 |language=en}} The second stage downloaded video, the last known time the telescope will be seen, of the separation and initial deployment of the solar panels. After this separation, the telescope became autonomous and began its deployment sequence. About 29 days after liftoff, it executed a maneuver placing it into a halo orbit around the L{{sub|2}} point, where it can perform its science mission. Its next five months were spent on cooling NIRCam and the Mid-Infrared Instrument down further, calibrating its mirrors while focusing on HD 84406, a bright star in the constellation Ursa Major, and testing the instruments.{{Cite web |last=Boyle |first=Alan |date=2022-01-24 |title=Webb Telescope fires thrusters to settle in at destination, a million miles from Earth |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2022/webb-telescope-fires-its-thrusters-to-settle-in-at-final-destination-a-million-miles-from-earth/ |access-date=2022-01-25 |website=GeekWire |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Grush |first=Loren |date=2022-01-25 |title=What's next for NASA's James Webb Space Telescope now that it's reached its parking spot |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/1/25/22900612/nasa-jwst-space-telescope-mirror-alignment-commissioning-next-steps |access-date=2022-01-25 |website=The Verge |publisher=Vox Media LLC |language=en-US}}

{{Portal|Spaceflight}}

• James Webb Space Telescope
• Timeline of the James Webb Space Telescope
• Launch and commissioning of the James Webb Space Telescope
• Ariane launches

{{Reflist|refs=

{{Cite web |last=Fisher |first=Alise |date=28 October 2021 |title=The Journey to Kourou |url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2021/10/28/the-journey-to-kourou/ |access-date=1 December 2021 |website=NASA Blogs |publisher=NASA}} {{PD-notice}}

{{Cite web |last=Fisher |first=Alise |date=22 November 2021 |title=NASA Provides Update on Webb Telescope Launch |url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2021/11/22/nasa-provides-update-on-webb-telescope-launch/ |access-date=1 December 2021 |website=NASA Blogs |publisher=NASA}} {{PD-notice}}

{{Cite web |last=Fisher |first=Alise |date=24 November 2021 |title=Testing Confirms Webb Telescope on Track for Targeted December 22 Launch |url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2021/11/24/testing-confirms-webb-telescope-on-track-for-targeted-dec-22-launch/ |access-date=1 December 2021 |website=NASA Blogs |publisher=NASA}} {{PD-notice}}

{{Cite web |date=25 November 2021 |title=Testing Confirms Webb Telescope on Track for Targeted December 22 Launch |url=https://www.arianespace.com/corporate-news/testing-confirms-webb-telescope-on-track-arianespace-launch/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201221005/https://www.arianespace.com/corporate-news/testing-confirms-webb-telescope-on-track-arianespace-launch/ |archive-date=1 December 2021 |access-date=1 December 2021 |website=arianespace.com |publisher=Arianespace}}

{{Cite web |title=Orbit – Webb/NASA |url=https://webb.nasa.gov/content/about/orbit.html |access-date=12 December 2021 |publisher=NASA}} {{PD-notice}}

{{Cite web |last=Fisher |first=Alice |date=2021-12-14 |title=Webb Space Telescope Launch Date Update – James Webb Space Telescope |url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2021/12/14/webb-space-telescope-launch-date-update/ |access-date=2021-12-15 |website=NASA Blogs}} {{PD-notice}}

{{Cite web |date=25 December 2021 |title=Ariane Flight VA256 |url=https://www.arianespace.com/mission/ariane-flight-va256/ |access-date=25 December 2021 |website=arianespace.com |publisher=Arianespace}}

{{Cite web |date=10 June 2004 |title=European agreement on James Webb Space Telescope's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) signed |url=https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Business_with_ESA/European_agreement_on_James_Webb_Space_Telescope_s_Mid-Infrared_Instrument_MIRI_signed |access-date=15 December 2021 |website=esa.int |publisher=European Space Agency}}

{{Cite web |last=Garner |first=Rob |date=9 December 2021 |title=Webb Moved to Meet its Rocket |url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2021/12/09/webb-moved-to-meet-its-rocket/ |access-date=21 December 2021 |website=NASA Blogs |publisher=NASA}}

{{Cite web |last=Fisher |first=Alise |date=6 December 2021 |title=NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Fully Fueled for Launch |url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2021/12/06/nasas-james-webb-space-telescope-fully-fueled-for-launch/ |access-date=21 December 2021 |website=NASA Blogs |publisher=NASA}}

{{Cite web |last=Clark |first=Stephen |date=18 December 2021 |title=Webb telescope encapsulated inside Ariane 5 rocket's nose cone |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/12/18/webb-telescope-encapsulated-inside-ariane-5-rockets-nose-cone/ |access-date=21 December 2021 |website=Spaceflight Now}}

{{Cite press release |title=Ariane 5 goes down in history with successful launch of Webb |date=25 December 2021 |publisher=Arianespace |url=https://www.arianespace.com/press-release/ariane-5-successful-launch-webb-space-telescope/ |access-date=25 December 2021 |website=arianespace.com}}

}}

{{Sister project links|wikt=no|commons=Category:James Webb Space Telescope|v=no|q=no|s=no|n=Hubble Space Telescope successor unveiled by NASA}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VwouKk2k6k James Webb Space Telescope detaches from Ariane 5 rocket]
• [https://www.arianespace.com/mission/ariane-flight-va256/ Ariane flight VA256] at Arianespace

{{Arianespace launches}}

{{Ariane}}

{{James Webb Space Telescope}}

VA256, Ariane flight

Category:2021 in French Guiana

Category:2021 in spaceflight

Category:Rocket launchers

Category:Rocket launches in 2021

Category:James Webb Space Telescope