Ongoing investigations into fairing separation anomalies from Ariane 5's last two launches could delay NASA's James Webb Space Telescope mission.
Ariane 5's most recent flight occurred in August 2020, deploying two communications satellites and Northrop Grumman's Mission Expansion Vehicle 2 to geostationary transfer orbit. Since then, the launcher has been grounded. Arianespace recently confirmed that post-flight analyses revealed "less than nominal" fairing separation in those February and August 2020 missions.
Experts note the payload fairing generated excessive vibrations during separation, though no payloads were damaged. These findings have prompted caution for upcoming flights.
“We have initiated additional checks with RUAG (Ariane fairing manufacturer) and ArianeGroup to ensure the highest quality and reliability. Progress remains positive,” Arianespace stated in a press release, as reported by SpaceNews.
The key question: Could these issues push back the James Webb Space Telescope launch, still slated for October 31? It's possible, though unconfirmed.
Ariane 5 has two missions ahead of the telescope. The immediate predecessor will carry Eutelsat Quantum (Eutelsat) and Star One D2 (Embratel Star One) satellites. Eutelsat's May 11 earnings report shifted this to Q3 2021, without a firm date.
James Webb program director Greg Robinson noted the mission requires roughly four months after the prior Ariane 5 flight. A early-July launch for the satellites could thus slip the telescope to early November.
This minor shift is manageable—unlike planetary missions, JWST has near-daily launch windows. Yet, there's irony: Ariane 5 was seen as the mission's safest element, with routine flights and its last major failure in 2002. After years of budget battles and delays, it's the launcher now in question.
Perspective is key. JWST will transform our cosmic understanding with unprecedented infrared observations. A few extra weeks are a small price.
