The American space agency has achieved a major milestone in its preparation of the new James Webb Space Telescope. James Webb telescope mirror alignments has been finished, and the results are exceeding expectations. Still some work to go before actual science operation can start.
NASA’s Webb Reaches Alignment Milestone, Optics Working Successfully
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-webb-reaches-alignment-milestone-optics-working-successfully
James Webb: ‘Fully focused’ telescope beats expectations
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-60771210
17 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
The James Webb Space Telescope mirrors are aligned! LIVE
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1nOX66G5q9E&feature=youtu.be
Tomi Engdahl says:
NASA’s Webb Reaches Alignment Milestone, Optics Working Successfully
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MiGx8xv6xjE
Tomi Engdahl says:
Lots of misinformation appearing in threads about JWST field of view and scale of images etc compared to Hubble. Here is a link to the JWST user guide.
https://jwst-docs.stsci.edu/jwst-observatory-characteristics/jwst-field-of-view
Tomi Engdahl says:
Wondering About the 6 Rays Coming out of JWST’s Test Image? Here’s why They Happen
https://jwst-docs.stsci.edu/jwst-observatory-characteristics/jwst-field-of-view
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.universetoday.com/155022/esas-gaia-just-took-a-picture-of-l2-neighbor-jwst/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.universetoday.com/155062/wondering-about-the-6-rays-coming-out-of-jwsts-test-image-heres-why-they-happen/
Tomi Engdahl says:
So far, the JWST images that have been released have been for alignment, test and calibration purposes. This is expected to continue until the end of June, when the observatory is scheduled to become scientifically operational. Soon after that, hopefully we’ll get to see more visually spectacular photos which more fully demonstrate to the wider public the spacecraft’s abilities. However, what those first targets will be is still being kept a closely held secret.
James Webb Space Telescope’s 1st science targets remain super secret as observatory settles in
By Tereza Pultarova published 2 days ago
But we know some of the later ones!
https://www.space.com/james-webb-space-telescope-first-science-observations-secret
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/05/05/about-as-cold-as-it-gets-the-webb-telescopes-cryocooler/
Tomi Engdahl says:
THE JAMES WEBB WAS STRUCK BY A SMALL METEOROID, NASA SAYS
https://futurism.com/the-byte/james-webb-small-meteoroid-nasa?utm_campaign=trueanthem_manual&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook
NASA’s ultra expensive James Webb Space Telescope has already had to endure a dust-sized micrometeoroid impacting with one of its primary mirror segments, roughly a month before the official start of scientific operations.
Fortunately, engineers knew that was going to happen. They designed the telescope’s massive mirror segments to be able to withstand such impacts — but this latest hit was a little too big for comfort, according to a NASA update.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The $10 Billion Webb Telescope Has Been Permanently Damaged, Say Scientists
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2022/07/18/the-10-billion-webb-telescope-has-been-permanently-damaged-say-scientists/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Valerie
Scientists are reporting that damage sustained to the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) during a micrometeoroid strike in late May 2022 may be worse than first thought.
In a new paper published in the wake of Webb’s incredible first images last week a group of scientists outlined the performance of the space telescope during its commissioning phase.
As I previously reported Webb’s primary 6.5-meter mirror comprises 18 beryllium-gold segments. One of them, called C3, was struck by small dust particles between May 23 and 25, 2022.
Since launch Webb has been struck by five other, smaller micrometeoroids. One minor strike per month is roughly what engineers predicted pre-launch.
“After initial assessments, the team found the telescope is still performing at a level that exceeds all mission requirements,”
However, the new report suggests that the damage to the C3 segment could be more serious than first thought.
Wavefront sensing refers to the aberrations found in Webb’s optics. “By contrast, the micrometeoroid which hit segment C3 in the period 22—24 May 2022 UT caused significant uncorrectable change in the overall figure of that segment.”
Although it may have enough propellant to last 20 years—a decade longer than previously expected—the engineers who designed Webb know that its mirrors and sunshield will unavoidably slowly degrade from micrometeoroid impacts.
It’s also expected that Webb’s detectors will be gradually damaged by charged particles while its sunshield and innovative five-layer insulation will degrade from space weathering.
Tomi Engdahl says:
French Scientist Uses a Photo of Spanish Chorizo and Jokes About James Webb Space Telescope Finding a Red Giant Star in Another Planet
https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/39197/20220805/scientist-says-james-webb-space-telescope-finding-a-red-star-is-just-a-spanish-sausage.htm
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.iflscience.com/jwst-has-shown-it-can-detect-life-signatures-on-exoplanets-64478
Tomi Engdahl says:
Space Engineering Enters Its Next Frontier
Sept. 1, 2022
Sponsored by Texas Instruments: In the decades since 1961, space-grade ICs have evolved to reach unprecedented levels of performance and reliability in compact, low-power packages.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/tools/learning-resources/whitepaper/21249129/texas-instruments-space-engineering-enters-its-next-frontier?utm_source=EG+ED+Analog+%26+Power+Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS220901114&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.identpull=omeda|7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
Tomi Engdahl says:
James Webb Space Telescope captures image of near-perfect ‘Einstein ring’
James Webb Space Telescope has captured this image of a near-perfect “Einstein ring,” a phenomenon that happens due to the gravity lensing caused by massive cosmic objects.
https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/science/james-webb-space-telescope-captures-image-of-near-perfect-einstein-ring-8134542/
Tomi Engdahl says:
THE WEBB TELESCOPE IS SO POWERFUL, IT SPOTTED A DUST STORM ON A PLANET IN A DIFFERENT STAR SYSTEM
https://futurism.com/the-byte/webb-telescope-dust-storm
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://puheenvuoro.uusisuomi.fi/jukka-savorinen/james-webb-space-telescope-images-challenge-theories-of-how-universe-evolved/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2021/09/Webb_NIRSpec_integral_field_units_principle_animation?fbclid=IwAR2jONu_bFtiCehHKVQ7_0ImOyL-mRSXPY07u0dIUQI9TQhtqOaXF1sAl0U