- Testing the hardware on the observatory’s telescope element and spacecraft element demonstrate that these systems individually meet their requirements. However, recent findings from the project’s Standing Review Board (SRB) indicate more time is needed to test and integrate these components together and then perform environmental testing at Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems in Redondo Beach, California, the project’s observatory contractor.
Looks like they are being very careful. Considering that if it fails there is no rescue, I can see why. So now we get to wait yet another year. Darn.
The contractors and subcontractors HISTORICALLY low-balled proposals to win their bids, which makes me furious. It's one thing to come in 20, 30, or even 40% over-budget on one of these big NASA missions, as seems to be the norm, but this goddamn thing is at something like 400% or 500%. People that I know personally have been hurt by how much money has been diverted into making sure James Webb works. If they fuck this up, I swear, I might opt out of doing science with a government entity ever again. But if this thing works as advertised, it will redefine our view of the universe. Good luck.
Typical megaproject approach. You'll never get the job if you budget for what it will actually cost because the guys who drew it up were shining it on, too. You're all winkwinknudgenudging your way through the process because once you've inked it there's a lot of good money to throw after the bad. After all, the$196b shuttle program, designed for cost-saving, ended up at $450m per flight - the original estimate was $9.3m. By contrast, the Superconducting Supercollider had ballooned to $11b from $2.7b so they killed it to divert the money to the $9b ISS that has ended up costing us $150b. Because fuck science, that's why.