Page 10 - Aerotech News and Review 12-4-15

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NASA has successfully installed the Hubble Space Telescope. Webb will achievements for Webb over the past NASA photograph by Chris Gunn
¿UVWRIÀLJKWPLUURUVRQWRWKH-DPHV study every phase in the history of our \HDUEXWWKHLQVWDOODWLRQRIWKH¿UVWÀLJKW
Webb Space Telescope, beginning a universe, including the cosmos’ first mirror is special,” said Bill Ochs, James
critical piece of the observatory’s con- luminous glows, the formation of solar :HEE6SDFH7HOHVFRSHSURMHFWPDQDJ-
struction. systems capable of supporting life on er. “This installation not only represents
planets like Earth, and the evolution of another step towards the magnificent
In the clean room at NASA’s God- our own solar system. discoveries to come from Webb, but
dard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, also the culmination of many years of
Maryland this week, the engineering The 18 separate segments unfold and effort by an outstanding dedicated team
team used a robot arm to lift and lower DGMXVWWRVKDSHDIWHUODXQFK7KHPLUURUV of engineers and scientists.”
the hexagonal-shaped segment that are made of ultra-lightweight beryllium
PHDVXUHVMXVWRYHUIHHWDFURVVDQG chosen for its thermal and mechanical The mirrors were built by Ball Aero-
weighs approximately 88 pounds. After properties at cryogenic temperatures. space & Technologies Corp., Boulder,
being pieced together, the 18 primary Each segment also has a thin gold Colo. Ball is the principal subcontrac-
mirror segments will work together FRDWLQJFKRVHQIRULWVDELOLW\WRUHÀHFW tor to Northrop Grumman for the opti-
as one large 21.3-foot mirror. The full infrared light. The telescope’s biggest cal technology and lightweight mirror
installation is expected to be complete IHDWXUHLVDWHQQLVFRXUWVL]HG¿YHOD\HU system.
early next year. sunshield that attenuates heat from the
sun more than a million times. The James Webb Space Telescope is
“The James Webb Space Telescope DQLQWHUQDWLRQDOSURMHFWOHGE\1$6$
will be the premier astronomical obser- “After a tremendous amount of work with its partners, ESA (European Space
vatory of the next decade,” said John by an incredibly dedicated team across Agency) and the Canadian Space Agen-
Grunsfeld, astronaut and associate the country, it is very exciting to start cy. NASA works with the international
administrator of the Science Mission the primary mirror segment installa- science community to explore our solar
Directorate at NASA Headquarters in tion process” said Lee Feinberg, James system and beyond. We look to unrav-
:DVKLQJWRQ'&³7KLV¿UVWPLUURULQ- Webb Space Telescope optical tele- el mysteries that intrigue us all as we
stallation milestone symbolizes all the scope element manager at Goddard. explore to answer big questions, like
new and specialized technology that was ³7KLVVWDUWVWKH¿QDODVVHPEO\SKDVHRI how did our solar system originate and
developed to enable the observatory to the telescope.” change over time, and how did the uni-
VWXG\WKH¿UVWVWDUVDQGJDOD[LHVH[DP- verse begin and evolve, and what will
ine the formation stellar systems and The mirrors must remain precisely be its destiny?
planetary formation, provide answers to aligned in space in order for Webb to
the evolution of our own solar system, successfully carry out science investiga- Inside a massive clean room at NASA’s
and make the next big steps in the search tions. While operating at extraordinarily Goddard Space Flight Center in
for life beyond Earth on exoplanets.” cold temperatures between minus 406 Greenbelt, Maryland the James Webb
and minus 343 degrees Fahrenheit, the Space Telescope Team prepared for
Several innovative technologies have backplane must not move more than 38 WKH¿UVWÀLJKWPLUURU¶VLQVWDOODWLRQRQWR
been developed for the Webb Tele- nanometers, approximately one thou- the telescope structure.
scope, which is targeted for launch in sandth the diameter of a human hair.
2018, and is the successor to NASA’s
“There have many significant

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10 Aerotech News and Review December 4,2015

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