Webb telescope deploys flap that will keep it oriented during its mission

On December 25, 2021, astronomers and space exploration enthusiasts got the greatest Christmas present of all—after years of delays, cost overruns and additional testing, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) launched from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. In a real nail-biter, the Ariane 5 rocket and its precious payload reached orbit without a hitch. But as is so often the case, the deployment of the JWST was just the first in a series of “hurry-up-and-wait” episodes.