Page 18 - Aerotech News and Review 6-3-13

Space & Technology

Telescope reaches major milestone in path to launch
REDONDO BEACH, Calif.— the launch vehicle, and then deploy tion and acoustic testing by the end of
Northrop Grumman’s delivery of the once the Webb telescope reaches this year, and then travel to NASA’s
fully integrated Optical Telescope Ele-
ment for NASA’s James Webb Space its ultimate destination, one million Johnson Space Center in Houston, to
Telescope marks another major mile- miles away from earth. Furthermore, undergo optical testing at vacuum and
stone toward the October 2018 launch throughout travel and deployment, the operational cryogenic temperatures,
of the largest telescope ever built for telescope simultaneously maintains its around 40 kelvin. The OTIS will be
space. dimensional stability while also oper- delivered to Northrop Grumman’s
ating at cryogenic or extremely cold Space Park facility in Redondo Beach,
Northrop Grumman delivered the temperatures, approximately 400 de- towards the end of 2017, where it will
OTE in March to NASA’s Goddard grees below zero Fahrenheit. The tele- be integrated with the sunshield and
Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. scope is the world’s first deployable

Northrop Grumman is under contract structure of this size and dimensional spacecraft.

to Goddard and leads the industry stability ever designed and built. The James Webb Space Telescope is

team that designs and develops the “The significant milestone of com- the world’s next-generation space ob-
Webb Telescope, its sunshield and
spacecraft. Northrop Grumman has pleting and delivering the OTE to servatory and successor to the Hubble
completed the integration, testing and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Cen- Space Telescope. The most powerful
delivery of the telescope. ter, marks the completion of the tele- space telescope ever built, the Webb
scope, and attests to the commitment Telescope will observe the most dis-
The Webb telescope’s 18 hexagonal of our hardworking team,” said Scott tant objects in the universe, provide
gold coated beryllium mirrors are sup- Texter, telescope manager, Northrop images of the first galaxies formed
ported by the telescope structure. The Grumman Aerospace Systems. “The and see unexplored planets around
OTE hardware is made of the most telescope structure is one of the four distant stars. The Webb Telescope is a
precise graphite composite material main elements of this revolutionary

system ever created, and contributes observatory. The other elements in- joint project of NASA, the European

to the Webb Telescope’s ability to clude: the spacecraft, sunshield and Space Agency and the Canadian Space

provide an unprecedented explorato- the Integrated Science Instrument Agency.
ry view into the formation of the first Module (ISIM), the latter of which
Northrop Grumman photograph
stars and galaxies formed over 13.5 is also complete. All of the elements

billion years ago. require a collaborative team effort. The spacecraft, or bus, of NASA’s
The precision manufacturing and We are all committed to the cause and James Webb Space Telescope is
excited about the upcoming phases of designed and developed at Northrop
integration of the 21.5 foot telescope development as we prepare for launch Grumman. The bus recently reached
structure allow it to withstand the pres- in October 2018.” a major milestone, successfully
sure and weight of the launch loads completing first time power-on,
when stowed inside the 15-foot-diam- The next step in the progress of showcasing the spacecraft’s ability
eter fairing of the Ariane 5 rocket. The the telescope structure includes its to provide observatory power and

cutting-edge design and transformer integration with the ISIM to combine electrical resources for the Webb

like capabilities of the telescope struc- the OTE and ISIM, referred to as the telescope.

ture allow it to fold-up and fit inside OTIS. The OTIS will undergo vibra- competitors
ute consists of the robot to score autonomously,
Local robotics team knocks-out followed by a selected driver at the end.
PALMDALE, Calif.—The Vex Jets Robotic “I am extremely proud of team 4073b and all cal and electronic components, and reliability on
team 4073b from Joe Walker Middle School won the students in the Vex Jets program. Collectively the competition field. Below is the key criteria “Our students continue to exceed our expec-
the Build Award at this year’s 2016 Vex World they have dedicated countless hours in the hopes explained by REC: tations in science, engineering, technology and
Championship. to earn a spot at the worlds championship,” said mathematics,” said Westside Union School Dis-
Vex Jets mentor and teacher Matthew Anderson. 1) Robot construction is of professional quality; trict Superintendent Regina Rossall. “We are hon-
The robotics team competed against 86 teams “During our holiday breaks students would ask robust, clean and elegant use of build materials ored to have the Vex Jets represent our school dis-
in their division from a total of 172 teams from me to open up the shop so they could continue trict because they exemplify the hard work ethic
around the world for the title. working on their robots. You can imagine how 2) Robot efficiently uses mechanical and elec- seen across our campuses.”
everyone was ecstatic when we won the build trical components
The team of 12 students, traveled to Louisville, award.” The Vex Jets look forward to the 2016-2017
Ky., to compete in the competition created by the 3) Robot is designed with detailed attention to vex robotic competitions. The team is also still
Robotics Education & Competition Foundation. The Build Award is given to a team that has the hazards and rigors of the competition receiving donations to pay the total cost of the
This was the first time a Vex Jets team earned a built a well-crafted and constructed robot that also trip, which exceeded $15,000 at their Go Fund
qualifying position to compete, as well as have a shows a clear dedication to safety and attention to 4) Teamwork and interview quality Me Page. Please visit gofundme.com/vexjets to
female student lead as team captain. This season detail. Judges select a robot that has a professional make a donation.
alone team 4073b won seven awards including feel and quality look to them, with clear attention Students at Joe Walker began building their
the Excellence Award, one of the highest honors to detail in construction, efficient use of mechani- robot last year for the “Nothing But Net” vex
among vex robotic competitions. competitions. The object of the game is to attain
a higher score of the opposing alliance by scoring
balls inside the net for two minutes. The first min-

Vector Space Vector Space Systems, a Micro Satellite space platform enterprise nology and aerospace veterans to provide industry insight, expertise
Systems comprised of new-space industry veterans from SpaceX, Virgin Ga- and leadership, Vector Space Systems plans large-scale sub-orbital
lactic, McDonnell Douglas and Sea Launch, announced May 19 test flights by 2017, with orbital launches scheduled for 2018.
completes the successful test of its second stage engine, a major milestone in
successful advance of the company’s first sub-orbital test flight as Vector Space “Led by Vector CTO, John Garvey, the Vector propulsion team
test of second Systems this summer. has made tremendous progress in a very rapid manner, building
stage engine and successfully testing an engine using 3D printed components
The test, which took place in Mojave, Calif., May 14, featured within two months of the company’s founding,” said Vector Space
the company’s second stage high-performance engine for its launch Systems co-founder and CEO Jim Cantrell. “The rapidity and suc-
vehicle. Employing 3D printed components, the engine produces cess of this test sets the standard for the swift development of our
500 pounds of thrust with a high specific impulse for maximum fuel launch vehicle and furthers our mission to revolutionize the way
efficiency. This development test was one in a series of second-stage commerce accesses and utilizes space.”
engine tests leading to flight qualification in 2017.
Vector Space Systems continues to aggressively conduct tests of
Officially announced in May 2016, Vector Space Systems builds their first and second-stage engines, the mobile launch platform,
upon 10 years of research and more than 30 sub-orbital launches, and is creating full-scale vehicle engineering models. In addition,
and was formed to connect space startups with affordable and reli- smaller sub-orbital test launches are planned for Summer 2016 to
able frequent launch-enabling platforms and vehicles at a cost point continue demonstrating functionality and flight operations.
never before possible for accessing space. Featuring a roster of tech-

18 Aerotech News and Review June 3, 2016

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