NASA’s new space telescope ‘hunky-dory’ after problems fixed

By MARCIA DUNN
AP Aerospace Writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s new space telescope is doing well more than a week after liftoff, following a pair of problems overcome by ground controllers. Officials said Monday that the huge sunshield on the James Webb Space Telescope is now fully open and in the process of being tightened. The operation should be complete by Wednesday. Controllers had to reset Webb’s solar panel following the Christmas launch to draw more power. They also repointed the telescope to limit sunlight on six overheating motors. A lead engineer says everything is now “hunky-dory” with the $10 billion observatory. Webb is considered the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope.