The big picture: NASA has in one case over again delayed the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope due to a last-minute event. At the current rate, it'll take nada brusk of a miracle to get the observatory into space earlier Christmas. Simply eh, a small delay at this stage is better than something that can't be remedied once it is in space.

NASA said it is working on a communication effect between the telescope and the launch vehicle. As a result, launch will now have place no earlier than Dec 24. The space agency promised to provide more information on the new launch date no afterwards than Dec 17.

Last month, NASA bumped the launch engagement to no earlier than December 22 after an unexpected incident when securing the observatory to the launch vehicle adapter. After a thorough review, it was adamant that the telescope had incurred no damage.

Development on what would become the James Webb Infinite Telescope started mode back in 1996 as the Side by side Generation Space Telescope, a successor to the Hubble Space Telescope. It was renamed afterwards NASA ambassador James Due east. Webb in 2002 with an initial launch set for 2007.

Unfortunately, myriad issues and cost overruns have delayed the launch well over a dozen times. By the time it is all said and done, the project will probable have price NASA nearly $10 billion – well over initial estimates of $1.half dozen billion.

The James Webb Space Telescope will blast off from Kourou in French Guiana courtesy of an Arianespace Ariane v rocket, hopefully on Christmas Eve.