Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

There are only 8 hours of downlink time per day. DSN resources are limited and shared among many missions.

Everything was sized based on the expected volume of data that the telescope would be able to take. The instruments only generatedata at a certain rate, and there are inefficiencies involved with slewing between targets. Having a larger recorder or faster downlink would not mean that JWST could take more science data.



Consider applying for YC's Fall 2025 batch! Applications are open till Aug 4

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: