Linked Questions

I don't know of any space telescope that has been placed in geosynchronous orbit among the communication satellites. I wonder why not? In GEO, a space telescope could use a single stationary radio ...

Compared to the temperatures encountered in lunar nights, the desired operating temperature of the James Webb Space Telescope is very low. Lunar nights are typically -170°C while the operating ...

The Hubble Space Telescope encloses its primary and secondary mirrors in a tube. The James Webb Space Telescope has no tube around its optics, which obviously leads to significant mass savings. Does ...

Using only reaction wheels powered by solar panel and the sunshield as a sail (in continuous active attitude control) to generate thrust from solar photon pressure in the desired direction, could JWST ...

I've been enjoying the JPL Horizons web interface and after I discovered the incredibly extensive database associated with SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, also see sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov) ...

The image below, found in this answer shows four "Solar Pressure Vanes" on Mariner 4. I've never heard of such a thing. I can imagine that it might have been thought to help favor the spacecraft's ...

How would 1 spacecraft be launched to have a prograde orbit and the another be launched retrograde to have a mirrored orbital path around the sun or otherwise? Would the 2 spacecraft launch together ...

Could 2 JWST be launched in opposite directions to provide stereo vision? Would a stereo picture provide any benefit? https://space.stackexchange.com/a/35402/18879 Related: How will JWST manage ...

Can the frame of a solar sail be made with shape-memory metals to contract in a way to maintain orientation to the Sun either in orbit or interplanetary? Would there be enough temperature difference ...

Is there an ideal temperature which solar sail material operates at? Does a colder reflective surface create more thrust? Related: How will JWST manage solar pressure effects to maintain attitude and ...