NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has been securely enclosed within the Ariane 5 rocket that will deliver it to orbit on December 24th.

On December 17th, after Webb was successfully connected to the top of its rocket, the team lowered its protective fairing or ‘nosecone’ down over the observatory using a custom laser guided crane system, and locked it in place for liftoff.

This fairing is equipped with specialized environmental controls that keep the observatory in a perfectly controlled temperature and humidity range during its final few days on Earth leading up to launch. During launch, the fairing is designed to shield Webb from dynamic pressure and aerodynamic heating that occurs during flight.

Now that Webb has been securely attached to its launch vehicle, and enclosed within its protective fairing, mechanical operations involving the observatory at its launch site in French Guiana have formally concluded. Final electrical and software configurations will occur on the launch pad during the final hours before liftoff. Webb Will switch to internal battery power roughly 20 minutes prior to liftoff, and within 15 minutes prior the observatory and its launch vehicle will both be fully cleared for flight.

Image credit: NASA/Chris Gunn