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Despite NASA reporting the James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST, will launch as planned in October 2018, the Government Accountability Office says one of the agency's most complex and expensive projects in NASA history faces increased schedule and cost risks.
JWST is a large, infrared-optimized space telescope that will replace the Hubble Space Telescope. In the past year, every element and major subsystem schedule had some delay that risks negatively impacting the overall project schedule reserve if further delays occur, says a Dec. 15 Government Accountability Office report (pdf).
The cryocooler in particular - a critical JWST component that chills an infrared light detector...