NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Structure Stands Tall

The telescope structure includes the primary mirror backplane assembly; the main backplane support fixture; and the deployable tower structure that lifts the telescope off of the spacecraft. The three arms at the top come together into a ring where the secondary mirror will reside.

Standing tall and standing up in the stowed-for-launch configuration as it appears in this photo, the complete telescope structure stretches about 26 feet (nearly 8 meters) from its base on the roll-over fixture to the secondary mirror support at the top. There is a yellow fixture at the bottom of the telescope structure that is designed to secure the bottom of the tower until the telescope structure is mounted on the spacecraft.

Click link to view the video.

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NASA's Webb "Strong and Steady" in New 'Behind the Webb' Video

In "Strong and Steady," viewers go to Airbus Defense and Space (formerly known as Astrium) in Ottobrunn, Germany. The episode goes on the production journey and explains about how silicon carbide powder is made into a material used in the manufacture of the Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) instrument that will fly aboard the Webb telescope. NIRSpec is a powerful instrument that will record the spectra of light from distant objects.

Viewers of "Strong and Steady" will get a sense of how long it takes for the different phases of the process to convert the silicon carbide from powder to the final product.

"[Silicon carbide] is two times more stiff than steel and five times more stiff than aluminum," said Gunther Kling, Optical Systems Major Instrument Components at Airbus Defense and Space, Germany. "Silicon carbide is a ceramic material and it offers special properties to fulfill the mission of NIRSPEC."

Click link to view the video.

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JWST Science Conference, the Netherlands, 12-16 October 2015

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I've found a news about a High Definition Space telescope, bigger than Webb, but I don't know if it is serious or not.
Tullio

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I've found a news about a High Definition Space telescope, bigger than Webb, but I don't know if it is serious or not.
Tullio

Found an article on the subject:

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-blogs/the-high-definition-space-telescope-hubbles-successor/

HDST does have some advantages in the cost department. It can operate at much warmer temperatures than JWST will, and it does not require extensive cryogenic testing on Earth. Construction of the HDST can also utilize low-cost optical materials and simpler component design.

My bets are on the JWST though.

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I've found a news about a High Definition Space telescope, bigger than Webb, but I don't know if it is serious or not.
Tullio

The HDST was proposed by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) on July 6, 2015.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-Definition_Space_Telescope

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/14/science/space/the-telescope-of-the-2030s.html

This is a Big Science project. As such, it would probably drain money from smaller Earth observatories like Lick, which was niracolously saved by a woman astronomer who invented a method of focussing configurable mirrors by using a laser and, hopefully, by Yuri Milner. Astronomers are embarking on the "Spiral of High Energies" of elementary particles physicists described in a book of that title by Angelo Baracca and Silvio Bergia, two Italian physicists, in 1975. Now physicists want an International Linear Collider as a successor to LHC and, maybe, a 100 km ring in Geneva. Will anybody write a book titled "The Spiral of Large Mirrors"?
Tullio

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NASA's Webb "Pathfinder Telescope" Successfully Completes First Super-Cold Optical Test

As the actual flight components of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope come together, engineers are testing the non-flight equipment to ensure that tests on the real Webb telescope later goes safely and according to plan. Recently, the "pathfinder telescope," or just “Pathfinder,” completed its first super-cold optical test that resulted in many first-of-a-kind demonstrations.

A third and final precursor test called “Thermal Pathfinder” will follow in 2016 that will fully test all the test equipment needed to simulate the temperature environment of space. Once this is complete, all test equipment and procedures needed to test the actual full flight telescope and the Integrated Science Instrument Module or ISIM assembled as a unit in early 2017 will be checked-out and ready.

Click link to view photograph.

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Latest updates:

http://jwst.nasa.gov/news_archive.html

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Recent accomplishments, updated November 6, 2015 :

http://jwst.nasa.gov/recentaccomplish.html

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Yes indeed--not my style either. Though I would like to believe that these are the best scientists and the best project planners; It seems like they are wanking around ensuring long-term funding.

The only good reason for a prolonged project in my mind is that some needed breakthrough is still in development.

I say put the damn thing together and launch it.

It's easy to criticize when you don't have all the details--laughing at myself.

Thi first mirror is installed. See www.nasa.gov
Tullio

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Thi first mirror is installed. See www.nasa.gov
Tullio

Link to the video:

New Video Shows NASA’s Webb Telescope First Mirror Installation

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Latest updates:

http://jwst.nasa.gov/news_archive.html

So looking forward to the beauty this technological wonder will show us.

The Webb telescope, widely considered the successor to NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, will find the very first galaxies that formed, answer fundamental questions about the evolution of our universe, and help in the search for life and habitable planets. With its powerful infrared vision, Webb will pierce through dense dust clouds, parting the curtains to observe stars and planetary systems forming today.

This premiere space telescope is being assembled at Goddard. The primary mirror, which currently is being attached to the telescope structure, is made up of 18 hexagonal mirror segments that form one large mirror measuring approximately 21 feet in diameter. The tennis court-sized sunshield on the spacecraft has a sun protection factor of 1 million, and will protect the mirrors and science instruments from heat generated by spacecraft electronics and the sun. The entire observatory will fold origami-style into an Ariane 5 rocket and unfurl in space.

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Update:

NASA Marks Major Milestones for the James Webb Space Telescope

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope just got a little closer to launch with the completion of cryogenic testing on its science cameras and spectrographs and the installation of the final flight mirrors.

On March 6, 2016, shortly after the successful instrument testing, the last mirrors in Webb’s optical path were installed into the telescope. Now the telescope is officially optically complete.

Other updates:

http://jwst.nasa.gov/news_archive.html

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Video of James Webb Telescope. It will be amazing!

https://youtu.be/4ufkTUZAiqE

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Video of James Webb Telescope. It will be amazing!

https://youtu.be/4ufkTUZAiqE

Sooooo looking forward to the launch!

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Update:

James Webb Space Telescope's Golden Mirror

Inside the clean room at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, the golden James Webb Space Telescope is viewed from overhead with its secondary mirror booms stowed. This is the position the secondary mirror will be in during launch. In the next few months, engineers will install other key elements, and take additional measurements to ensure the telescope is ready for space.

Click link to view the golden JWST :)




Other updates:

http://jwst.nasa.gov/news_archive.html

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Science Instruments of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Successfully Installed

With surgical precision, two dozen engineers and technicians successfully installed the package of science instruments of the James Webb Space Telescope into the telescope structure. The package is the collection of cameras and spectrographs that will record the light collected by Webb’s giant golden mirror.

“Designing and building something of this magnitude and complexity, with this amount of new technology, is far from routine,” said Dunn. “While every project has their share of ups and downs, the JWST team has had to work through a lot over the life of this project. The character and dedication of this team is extraordinary, they’ve always recovered brilliantly, and they’ve made many personal sacrifices to get us to this point.”

Click link to view photograph.

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Planets & Origins of Life

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