How does the L2 Lagrange point work?
Lagrangian points are locations in space where gravitational forces and the orbital motion of a body balance each other. Therefore, they can be used by spacecraft to ‘hover’. L2 is located 1.5 million kilometres directly ‘behind’ the Earth as viewed from the Sun.
What is L2 orbit?
L2 is a gravitationally stable point in the Earth-sun system. A spacecraft at that point orbits the sun while “hovering” in place with respect to Earth. Image via ESA.
How can you orbit a Lagrange point?
Although a Lagrange point is just a point in empty space, its peculiar characteristic is that it can be orbited by a Lissajous orbit or a halo orbit.
Where will the Webb telescope orbit?
Earth-sun Lagrange point 2
The space telescope is destined to orbit a point in space known as Earth-sun Lagrange point 2 or L2, which is located nearly 1 million miles (1.5 million kilometers) away from Earth on the opposite side as the sun. The spacecraft covered the first 10\% of that journey within 12 hours of launching.
How does a halo orbit work?
These can be thought of as resulting from an interaction between the gravitational pull of the two planetary bodies and the Coriolis and centrifugal force on a spacecraft. Halo orbits exist in any three-body system, e.g., a Sun–Earth–orbiting satellite system or an Earth–Moon–orbiting satellite system.
What is the orbit of the James Webb Telescope?
The space telescope is destined to orbit a point in space known as Earth-sun Lagrange point 2 or L2, which is located nearly 1 million miles (1.5 million kilometers) away from Earth on the opposite side as the sun. The spacecraft covered the first 10\% of that journey within 12 hours of launching.
Why is the Webb Telescope in L2 orbit?
However, at L2, exactly lined up with both the sun and Earth, the added gravity of the two large bodies pulling in the same direction gives a spacecraft an extra boost of energy, locking it into perfect unison with the Earth’s yearly orbit. The Webb telescope will be placed slightly off the true balance point, in a gentle orbit around L2.
How far will Webb orbit the Sun?
Webb will orbit the sun 1.5 million kilometers (1 million miles) away from the Earth at what is called the second Lagrange point or L2. (Note that these graphics are not to scale.)
Why does the Webb Telescope have a large sunshield?
This allows the satellite’s large sunshield to protect the telescope from the light and heat of the Sun and Earth (and Moon). Webb will orbit the sun 1.5 million kilometers (1 million miles) away from the Earth at what is called the second Lagrange point or L2.
Where is the James Webb Space Telescope located?
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a space telescope that is part of NASA’s Next Generation Space Telescope program, developed in coordination between NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency. It is scheduled to launch in October 2018 and will be located near the Earth–Sun L2 lagrangian point.