NASA Is Testing the James Webb Space Telescope Before Launch 1

NASA Is Testing the James Webb Space Telescope Before Launch

ByEmma Watson
Ball Aerospace technician Larkin Carey can be seen carefully removing Webb’s "lens cap" from the Aft Optics Subsystem which has kept the observatory’s sensitive instruments clean, contaminant-free, and protected from stray light throughout the integration and test process.
Here, Ball Aerospace technician Larkin Carey can be seen carefully removing Webb’s “lens cap” from the Aft Optics Subsystem which has kept the observatory’s sensitive instruments clean, contaminant-free, and protected from stray light throughout the integration and test process. NASA/Chris Gunn

The troubled James Webb telescope has suffered a long series of delays but is finally creeping towards its launch, with the recent completion of several milestones in its final round of testing. The NASA observatory will be the successor to the Hubble telescope and once launched into orbit it will study everything from exoplanets to black holes.

The telescope has now reached three milestones in its final round of testing ahead of its planned launch later this year.

Firstly, the telescope’s “lens cap” has been removed. Technically known as the aft optics subsystem cover, this piece protects the instruments during the assembly and preparation stages and prevents any contamination from tainting them. In the image at the top of this page you can see technician Larkin Carey removing the cover so that the rest of the hardware can be folded up for its trip to space.

Secondly, Webb has a tower which telescopes up to 10 feet in length to keep the mirrors and instruments separate from the side of the observatory which faces the sun. This is in order to keep the instruments cool so that fluctuations in heat from the sun don’t affect their readings. The tower was recently deployed for the final time to check it is ready for its eventual deployment in space.

Thirdly, the telescope needs to fold up into a small volume to fit inside the Ariane 5 rocket which will launch it into orbit. This requires a complex system of folding parts, particularly for large items like the tennis-court sized sunshield. The folded sunshield will sit on top of a support called the unitized pallet structure, and now that the lens cap has been removed, the pallet has been folded up ready for launch as well.

These tests were performed at a Northrop Grumman facility in Redondo Beach, California. Once all final tests are complete, the telescope will be folded and stowed for the last time before being shipped to Kourou, French Guiana ready for its launch in November 2021.

Editors’ Recommendations






Similar Posts

How to Use iOS 14’s Translate App: Speak Another Language

How to Use iOS 14’s Translate App: Speak Another Language

ByEmma Watson

One of iOS 14’s most notable additions is the Apple Translate app. If you’ve ever used Google Translate, you’ll already have a basic idea of how Apple’s new Translate app works. You simply type the phrase you want translated, tap Go, and there you have it: Your phrase translated into one of 11 languages. The app is…

Maika Monroe stares blankly into the camera while Jake LAcy looks at her in a scene from Significant Other.

Significant Other filmmakers on forest shoots, wild ending

ByEmma Watson

Paramount+ thriller Significant Other arrived on the streaming service without much fanfare, but the relatively small film is a study in efficiency, delivering plenty of tense moments and satisfying scares in an 80-minute feature film filled with shocking twists and impressive performances. Written and directed by filmmaking duo Dan Berk and Robert Olsen, Significant Other…