L2 Insertion Burn
Mid Course Correction Burn (MCC2) - L2 Orbit Insertion

Nominal Event Time: Updated: Launch + 30 days

Status: Complete. Webb is in L2 Orbit!

Coverage: What's Next? 3pm EST (8pm GMT) | Media Teleconference 4pm EST (9pm GMT)


Conduct activities to plan and execute MCC2 - the insertion burn for Webb's L2 orbit. The vast majority of the energy required to place Webb in L2 orbit was provided by the Ariane 5 rocket. After release of the observatory from the rocket, several small tweaks to the trajectory were executed (mid-course correction burns - MCC), to ease the observatory into its operating orbit. MCC2 is the final burn to fine tune Webb's halo orbit.

The adjacent diagram shows a conceptual view of Webb's trajectory and halo orbit. Webb launched on the sun-facing side of the earth and travelled a slightly curved trajectory for the ~1,000,000mi (~1,609,344km) to enter its L2 halo orbit. A halo orbit is one which rather than follow a single path, is an orbit that periodically varies through a series of paths. The 'Earth/L2 frame' orbits the Sun while Webb orbits L2 as shown in this animation of Webb's orbit. Also note Webb's orientation; the sunshield is perpendicular to the Sun so Webb's mirrors and instruments are in cold complete darkness.
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