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Related very good news: thanks to the very precise orbital injection, Webb has excess propelllant that will be used for station-keeping, significatively prolonging the mission: https://blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2021/12/29/nasa-says-webbs-exces...

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With the innovation of satellite life extenders like MEV-2, fuel is less of an issue. Webb has reaction wheels and cryocoolers which may have their own lifetimes and become the limiter.

https://www.seradata.com/mev-2-satellite-life-extender-space...

Yes, a surprising amount of stuff on the satellite is mechanical. After reading up on Webb's construction and the way the incredible thermal separation of the hot side and the cold side is achieved, as well as the sensors and the cryocoolers my respect for the designers and builders has gone up a couple of notches.

For US$10 billion, it had damned better work first time. Stoked that it's all gone beautifully well so far.

The cryocooler is needed only for one instrument. Hopefully it lasts a long time but after that they can still continue use other instruments.

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