Launch Of James Webb Telescope Delayed

On march 27th 2018, NASA announced that the scheduled launch of the James Webb Space Telescope moved from its previous expected launch window of spring 2019 to May of 2020. The spacecraft has been in development for over two decades. NASA says that it needs more time to tests the telescope's intricate systems and to make repairs to its sun shield. The James Webb Space Telescope is slated to become the replacement for the Hubble Space Telescope.

Unlike Hubble, the Webb telescope will not be serviceable once it is launched. The Hubble Space Telescope orbited the Earth. The Webb telescope will go into orbit around the sun at a point that's a million miles away from Earth. Because of the very real need to get everything right before launch, it's possible that the Webb telescope may exceed its 8 billion development budget. NASA's partner on the project, the European Space Agency, says the spacecraft will be launched from French Guiana.