James Webb Telescope Sun Shade Opens Perfectly, Next Main Mirror Installation

The sunshield of the James Webb space telescope (James Watt Space Telescope / JWST) is fully opened after going through a series of complicated processes.

This sun visor is an important feature of the James Webb telescope for keeping various instruments cool so that they function properly. “This is a very big moment.

I just wanted to congratulate the whole team," said Bill Ochs, Project Manager for JWST at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center .

The process of opening the sun visor is very complex because the layer is a very thin membrane. There are about 107 release mechanisms used to spread the sun protection layer.

Each mechanism must work according to plan so that the sun visor is fully exposed. Once the sun visor has been laid, the James Webb ride has to pull tight like the sails stretched out on a boat. Installation of the sunshield took more than a week, slightly longer than planned.

NASA tentatively scheduled the process to take about six days, but the JWST team took a break over New Year's weekend to rest and study the data they received from the spacecraft. There were also some issues that had to be resolved during the process of opening the sun visor due to some temperature readings and unexpected equipment issues.

“We are still in the early familiarization phase with the telescope.There will always be a slight difference between in orbit and on the ground," Ochs said. After the sun visor is fully open, the next important process that is of concern is opening the main mirror. This primary device will be used to collect light from distant galaxies and stars. This important process is expected to take about a week.

The James Webb Space Telescope is NASA's new space observatory to launch on December 25, 2021 after spending about 25 years in development. The James Webb Telescope is considered to be the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope which is currently orbiting around Earth. The James Webb telescope provides more power and enhanced ability to see distant and faint objects in space.

Astronomers hope the James Webb telescope will be able to see some of the first stars and galaxies that formed just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang.

Source:

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