James Webb Space Telescope live launch
Date: Sat, Dec 25, 2021 | 11:45 - 13:00 GMT | 12:45 - 14:00 CET
Type: ESA TV Live
Format: 16:9
The James Webb Space Telescope is set for launch atop an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana at 12:20 GMT / 13:20 CET on Saturday 25 December.
This mission is the culmination of decades of meticulous planning and international cooperation between ESA, NASA and the Canadian Space Agency.
Webb will be the largest, most powerful telescope ever launched into space. It is the next great space science observatory following Hubble, designed to answer outstanding questions about the Universe and to make breakthrough discoveries in all fields of astronomy. As part of the international collaboration agreement, ESA is providing the telescope’s launch service using the Ariane 5 launch vehicle. Working with partners, ESA was responsible for the development and qualification of Ariane 5 adaptations for the Webb mission.
A live transmission will cover operations from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, as well as Mission Operations Control at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, in the US. Four audio channels will be available: operational audio, English commentary, Spanish commentary, French translation.
L-30: Live coverage begins with shots of launchpad
L-15: Commentary begins
L-0: Lift off
L+27: Spacecraft separation
L+30: Solar array deployment
L+33: Brief success statements
Note that there is a 32 minute launch window.
Coverage is followed by a post-launch press briefing, which will be live on ESA Web TV channel 1.
Launch highlights will be posted as soon as possible on ESA TV ftp server:
tvdownload.esa.int
Login: esa
Password: ftp4esa
Footage from the Webb launch campaign available here: https://www.esa.int/esatv/Videos/2021/10/James_Webb_Space_Telescope_launch_campaign
Animations depicting Webb launch and instruments available here: https://www.esa.int/esatv/Videos/2021/09/James_Webb_Space_Telescope
More information at: https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Webb
Satellite Parameters:
Eutelsat 7B @ 7degE
Transponder F6 Channel 1D9 (9 MHz)
D/link freq: 10978.0 MHz Polarisation X/horizontal
Signal: MPEG4/H264, 4:2:0, SR: 7200 Ms/s FEC: 3/4 DR:15.678 Mbps
Modulation: DVBS2/8PSK, Pilot: On, Roll off: 0.25 Clear
Audio 1: English mono
Audio 2: Spanish mono
Audio 3: French translation mono
Audio 4: Intl mono
For any inquiries regarding transmission rights, satellite or FTP reception please contact the ESA TV producer: Chris Courtenay Taylor at chrisct@worldwidegroup.global / tel +44 7774 275 951