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“A trajectory can be fashioned so that JWST ‘falls into orbit’ about L2 rather than having to forcibly inject itself into a set orbit using its propulsion subsy
by krisoft 5y ago
“A trajectory can be fashioned so that JWST ‘falls into orbit’ about L2 rather than having to forcibly inject itself into a set orbit using its propulsion subsystem; this saves propellant and makes for simpler orbit maintenance.”
Quote from the JWST’s user documentation: https://jwst-docs.stsci.edu/jwst-observatory-hardware/jwst-orbit https://jwst-docs.stsci.edu/jwst-observatory-hardware/jwst-o...
So no significant acceleration event is expected as they enter an orbit around L2.
Furthermore they will have to keep doing orbit maintenance burns every 21 day while there, so they must have designed the structure with that in mind.
- krisoft 5y agoFound an even better source! https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20140008868/downloads/20140008868.pdf https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20140008868/downloads/20... This paper discussed the Monte Carlo method they implemented to plan and control the orbital insertion. At page 16 they discuss nominal burn times. The MCC-2 burn has an associated deltaV of 0.712m/s. (That is the first of many burns which happen in the unfolded state) Of course the real value will depend on how accurate the previous burns happens to be, but it provides a rough estimate of what we can expect.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- mcdonje 5y agoI wonder how many years worth of fuel they have to maintain orbit, and what happens when orbit fails. Does it settle into the L point instead of orbiting it? Does it fly off?
- zardo 5y agoIt's like a hilltop, without propellent to keep it near L2 it will roll off into solar orbit.