James Webb Space Telescope's 1st 'phonecall' post launch; ESA explains the process

James Webb Telescope is due for launch on December 24 following which it will he towards its target orbit which is more than 1.5 million kilometres from Earth. Needless to say, proper execution of Webb telescope’s liftoff is important and so is making first contact once it is out re in . European ncy, which is one of Webb’s developers apart from NASA and Canian ncy, explains how it is rey to pick up call after Webb makes its first ‘phone call’ home.

Here’s how ESA will make contact with telescope

According to ncy,  10-metre antenna in Malindi, Kenya, which is a part of ESA’s Estrack cooperative network, will make first contact from ground. Soon after its launch aboard Ariane 5 rocket, telescope will send its first mess that will appear as a peak in rio waves on a monitor at Malindi Ground Station. It will be through se signals, that scientists will get an idea of Webb's health after launch and also will be  only means of sending commands and bringing data home. 

(Im: ESA)

"About 23 minutes after lift-off, Malindi will locate Ariane 5 launch vehicle in flight, rising above Western horizon, still housing its precious cargo. Only five minutes later, Webb will separate from rocket and begin its solo life in ", ESA said in its report. As you can see in im above, Malindi station's position at equator is in line with Webb's launch site, port in Kourou, French Guiana. rockets get an extra boost from speed of Earth’s rotation if y are launched from this location, as per ncy. 

In order to pick up first signals sent by telescope, Malindi will undergo three phases of visibility with mission. For first hour after separation, which will be first phase, station will be in a ‘private call’ with Webb following which  NASA’s Deep Antenna in Canberra will join call and Malindi will switch to backup (second phase). Finally, in third phase, Malindi will again take over again after Webb is  longer visible from Canberra, Australia, and will n be joined in by NASA’s Mrid station. Daniel Firre, ESA’s Ground Operations Manr, said as per ESA's statement,

We may lose signal momentarily some minutes after Webb separates from Ariane 5, and at that time we will switch from launch vehicle tracking to craft tracking.

Im: Twitter/@ESA_Webb