Webb flies Ariane 5: watch the launch live
Update 22 December (22.00 CET): launch confirmed for 25 December
Update 21 December (22.30 CET): new target launch date
ESA and NASA will be broadcasting live as the James Webb Space Telescope is launched to space on ESA’s Ariane 5 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.
Transmission in your language
English: Live launch coverage in English, featuring experts from all partners, will begin at 12.00 CET on ESA Web TV channel 1 and on ESA’s YouTube channel.
Live coverage is followed by a post-launch media briefing, which will be live on ESA Web TV channel 1.
French: ESA Web TV channel 2 will carry the French live launch coverage, which is a simultaneous translation of the English broadcast from 32 minutes before launch until end of the broadcast.
Spanish: A pre-launch programme in Spanish will start at 12:30 CET and end at 13:02 CET on YouTube, followed by live launch coverage.
Join online
Join the conversation online with the hashtag #WebbFliesAriane
Twitter: @ESA_Webb, @esa, @NASAWebb, @esa_sts, @ariane5, @esaoperations
Facebook virtual social event: https://www.facebook.com/events/305381571443979