Its release has been postponed again due to weather

James Webb still has to wait. The most powerful space telescope ever designed will not take off on Friday, December 24 as expected, NASA said in a statement on Tuesday. The beginning “Rejected” Because “Bad weatherThe agency explained.On Christmas Day Saturday, a new venture will soon be open between 12:20 pm and 12:52 pm GMT (between 1:20 pm and 1pm 52 pm French time).

“New weather forecast to be released tomorrow evening, to confirm December 25th”, NASA said. The telescope is currently in a building in Kourou (French Guiana), from where it is to launch on the Ariane 5 rocket.

This is the third time the release has been postponed due to minor issues. The first was linked to an incident that occurred during preparations for the telescope in late November, and the second was linked to a communication problem in the ground system. “Thanks to the teams who worked overtime (…) to ensure a safe start” In the telescope, wrote Twitter NASA President Bill Nelson shortly after the announcement of the new postponement.

“This is an extraordinary task. A vivid example of what we can achieve when we dream big. The web will change our view of the universe.”

Bill Nelson, President of NASA

At the press conference

Presented as the successor to the Hubble telescope launched in 1990, James Webb has to explore the early ages of the universe. It will be orbiting the Sun at a distance of 1.5 million kilometers from the Earth.