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How Will the James Webb Space Telescope Orbit About the L2 Point?

-- Scott | January 8, 2022

Question:

Hello, I’ve read that the James Webb Telescope will orbit at the L2 point which I think I get, but it will not orbit at that point but around it. How does it orbit a “point” in space? Are the Lagrange points sources of gravity?

Thanks in advance!
Scott

-- Scott

Answer:

The L2 (second Lagrange) point that the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will orbit is a gravitationally stable point in an environment where the Earth, Moon, and Sun are sources of gravity. The NASA description of the Lagrange points provides further details on their properties. NASA likes to use the L2 point for astronomical spacecraft as it is close enough to readily communicate with Earth, while at the same time a satellite orbiting L2 can keep the Sun, Earth and Moon behind the spacecraft for solar power and provide a clear view of deep space.

-- Jeff Mangum

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