Why isn't SpaceX doing this?
SpaceX wasn't a thing when the project constraints were defined.
Webb flies Ariane 5: watch the launch live on 25 December
11–20 of 188 posts
Re: Webb flies Ariane 5: watch the launch live on 25 December
#12Why isn't SpaceX doing this?
Because the contracts were made before SpaceX was deemed reliable.
Re: Webb flies Ariane 5: watch the launch live on 25 December
#13Why isn't SpaceX doing this?
The launch partner/platform wasn't chosen recently and it's part of what ESA is providing as a partner in the program.
"In exchange for full partnership, representation and access to the observatory for its astronomers, ESA is providing the NIRSpec instrument, the Optical Bench Assembly of the MIRI instrument, an Ariane 5 ECA launcher, and manpower to support operations. The CSA will provide the Fine Guidance Sensor and the Near-Infrared Imager Slitless Spectrograph plus manpower to support operations."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Webb_Space_Telescope#Par...
Re: Webb flies Ariane 5: watch the launch live on 25 December
#14Why isn't SpaceX doing this?
Ariana 5 can transport a larger/heavier payload than Space X rockets. And even then the telescope has to be folded up in this really complicated way.
Re: Webb flies Ariane 5: watch the launch live on 25 December
#15Decades of meticulous planning and they couldn't give their teams a day off on Christmas? Of course it could be that consensus was this beats any other kind of activity that day in which case fair enough. :-)
Newton's birthday sounds like the perfect day for a rocket launch to me
Re: Webb flies Ariane 5: watch the launch live on 25 December
#16Why isn't SpaceX doing this?
Contracts or momentum? Haven't looked at actual dates, but my guess is that this project was established long before SpaceX was a viable option.
Re: Webb flies Ariane 5: watch the launch live on 25 December
#17Why isn't SpaceX doing this?
ariane 5 has had 111 launches. Falcon heavy has had 3.
the falcon heavy probably didn't even exist when they were drawing up the contracts
Re: Webb flies Ariane 5: watch the launch live on 25 December
#18Why isn't SpaceX doing this?
> Why isn't SpaceX doing this?
Reliability (as in: established track record).
Although, if Ariane decides to explode tomorrow, this comment will look ... odd.
Re: Webb flies Ariane 5: watch the launch live on 25 December
#19Decades of meticulous planning and they couldn't give their teams a day off on Christmas? Of course it could be that consensus was this beats any other kind of activity that day in which case fair enough. :-)
Lots of European countries celebrate Christmas Evening (Dec 24) more than Christmas Day (Dec 25).
Re: Webb flies Ariane 5: watch the launch live on 25 December
#20All the best to everyone working on this tomorrow. Hope you get some suitably generous TOIL in January.