NASA suspends work on the James Webb Space Telescope

[Shawn Knight]

What just happened? NASA recently completed its first assessment of missions, projects and programs since the coronavirus outbreak to identify mission-critical work that must be done on-site, tasks that can be worked on by employees remotely and projects that have to be paused.

Unfortunately for the James Webb Space Telescope, it falls into the latter category.

NASA is suspending integration and testing operations on the Hubble Space Telescope’s successor to ensure the safety of the agency’s workforce. NASA didn’t say when work on the project would resume but noted that decisions could be adjusted as the situation unfolds over the weekend and into next week.

On a brighter note, all work associated with supporting the International Space Station will continue including commercial resupply activities to keep the space station crew fully supplied and safe. Earlier this month, the agency took steps to reduce the risk of exposure for flight controllers working in the mission control center at Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Work on the Commercial Crew Program is also pressing ahead. NASA further added that its Mars 2020 mission, which includes the Mars Helicopter and the Perseverance Rover, remains a high priority. The agency is additionally keeping its supercomputing resources online, we’re told.

Masthead credit: NASA by Edwin Verin

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/84495-nasa-suspends-work-james-webb-space-telescope.html

 

[DaveBG]

I thought they were working in sterile environment? More excuses to delay this project. I bet someone is filling his pockets and does not care this to actually launch...

 

[Lew Zealand]

"They" go home to a less sterile environment. They don't live at the telescope any more than you live at your office. No need to assume someone's on the take when public safety rules are being applied to everyone.

 

[Wiebie]

Cancel this project! The private sector would have had this done nearly 10years ago. Not to mention plenty of millions of dollars cheaper. This is pathetic. Just as pathetic as the SLS. Lots and lots of people getting very rich from this.

 

[Wiebie]

"They" go home to a less sterile environment. They don't live at the telescope any more than you live at your office. No need to assume someone's on the take when public safety rules are being applied to everyone.

This is an incredibly naive statement

 

[Lew Zealand]

Cancel this project! The private sector would have had this done nearly 10years ago. Not to mention plenty of millions of dollars cheaper. This is pathetic. Just as pathetic as the SLS. Lots and lots of people getting very rich from this.

Really, who? Got some names and how rich they're getting? I'd like to see some numbers too. Was the Hubble Space Telescope the same? Just a get-rich-easy scheme?

 

[Lew Zealand]

This is an incredibly naive statement

Got an explanation for that or just an empty platitude?

 

[utzgirl]

Really, who? Got some names and how rich they're getting? I'd like to see some numbers too. Was the Hubble Space Telescope the same? Just a get-rich-easy scheme?

Ha! I worked at STScI for decades. I can assure you - judging from the number of luxury cars in the parking lot - that a LOT of people are getting rich.

 

[Lew Zealand]

Ha! I worked at STScI for decades. I can assure you - judging from the number of luxury cars in the parking lot - that a LOT of people are getting rich.

While I'm sure many people are making a very nice living working on the STSci and the JWST, judging by cars is a skewed measure as quite a bit of the facilities staff where I work have Bimmers and other lux cars. Not project leads, though their cars are nice, too. ???

 

[wiyosaya]

Cancel this project! The private sector would have had this done nearly 10years ago. Not to mention plenty of millions of dollars cheaper. This is pathetic. Just as pathetic as the SLS. Lots and lots of people getting very rich from this.

The private sector IS constructing this project: https://www.harris.com/solution/james-webb-space-telescope-jwst
There's enough conspiracy theories floating around these days. Another conspiracy theory is not needed.

 

[wiyosaya]

Ha! I worked at STScI for decades. I can assure you - judging from the number of luxury cars in the parking lot - that a LOT of people are getting rich.

A few years back, the starting salary for an astronomer with a PhD was something like $100K /yr US.

If you are not one of those, I can understand why you would have that impression.

 

[Uncle Al]

Cancel this project! The private sector would have had this done nearly 10years ago. Not to mention plenty of millions of dollars cheaper. This is pathetic. Just as pathetic as the SLS. Lots and lots of people getting very rich from this.

And I suppose you have a few dozen space telescopes to your credit? I remind you of some sage advice "better to say nothing and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt".

 

[captaincranky]

Cancel this project! The private sector would have had this done nearly 10years ago. Not to mention plenty of millions of dollars cheaper. This is pathetic. Just as pathetic as the SLS. Lots and lots of people getting very rich from this.

Any activity with regard to space operations in the private sector, is the result of billions dollars of government research and US citizen's tax dollars, being siphoned off by parasites like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.

Here's Mr. Bezos' imaginings for a moon lander: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/09/science/jeff-bezos-moon.html

That when the greedy p***k isn't trying to put every grocery clerk in the country out of work, with his asinine all computer grocery stores.

And BTW, NASA only does some of the manufacturing work on components, most of the manufacturing work is contracted to the private sector.

You do realize you can lease cars, or arrange payment schedules up to at least 72 months, right?

 

[Jameswatt359]

Good To Hear.

 

[wiyosaya]

Any activity with regard to space operations in the private sector, is the result of billions dollars of government research and US citizen's tax dollars, being siphoned off by parasites like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.

Here's Mr. Bezos' imaginings for a moon lander: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/09/science/jeff-bezos-moon.html

Hmmm. Reminds me of the Apollo lunar lander - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Lunar_Module
I wonder what inspired Bezos and Blue Origin??