spacetoday.net: JWST launch delayed by payload processing issue

Posted: Fri, Nov 26, 2021, 7:23 AM ET (1223 GMT)
JWST payload processing in French Guiana (NASA)

The launch of the James Webb Space Telescope will be delayed by at least four days after a payload processing incident. NASA said Monday that it is delaying the launch from Dec. 18 to no earlier than Dec. 22 to perform additional testing of the spacecraft after the "sudden, unexpected" release of a clamp band securing JWST to its Ariane 5 launch vehicle adapter. NASA officials said they were being very conservative, deciding to conduct the tests out of an abundance of caution to ensure no subsystems were damaged when the clamp band released and imparted vibrations into the spacecraft. NASA said Wednesday it found no evidence of damage and was moving ahead with a Dec. 22 launch.