The James Webb Space Telescope construction

In summary, this article discusses the progress of the construction of the James Webb Space Telescope, a highly anticipated project that has been plagued by poor management and unexpected cost overruns. Despite these challenges, the telescope's primary mirrors have been assembled and its mechanical deployment is undergoing intensive testing. The telescope is expected to have a major impact on cosmology and exoplanet research, and many are eagerly anticipating its launch in 2018.
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  • #3
1oldman2 said:
Here is a link to the webcams they have installed in the facility, you can follow their progress on a couple of cams. http://www.jwst.nasa.gov/webcam.html

do the still images just get updated occasionally ?
as the timers on the cams are not running ... or do I need some other viewer software ?
 
  • #4
davenn said:
do the still images just get updated occasionally ?
as the timers on the cams are not running ... or do I need some other viewer software ?
It seams to be about one shot per minute if I'm not mistaken.
 
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  • #6
1oldman2 said:
Next in line after JWST

Let's hope this one isn't plagued by poor management.
 
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  • #9
Couple of screen shots of the progress.
JWST.PNG
JWST2.PNG
 
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  • #10
Are those panels made out of tellurium? Looks big... Might detect aliens. :)
 
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  • #12
Sweet! Can't wait to see this telescope launch.
 
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  • #13
Zephyr007 said:
Sweet! Can't wait to see this satellite launch.
Take a look at the link in post #5, I believe the WFIRST and JWST are meant to be used in tandem on certain projects involving imaging the very early universe. :thumbup: I just hope I live long enough to see the results.
Upon closer reading I see that the primary purpose of WFIRST will be as a Kepler replacement/upgrade for exoplanet hunting, however it will be teamed up with JWST also for imaging the very earliest universe possible.
 
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  • #17
Borg said:


:thumbup::thumbup: That's two thumbs up on the post. I read that the mechanical deployment will be going through very intensive testing as that is the one aspect they cannot simulate in their cold vacuum chambers due to size, they have to get it right first time out of the box.
 
  • #19
1oldman2 said:
Upon closer reading I see that the primary purpose of WFIRST will be as a Kepler replacement/upgrade for exoplanet hunting, however it will be teamed up with JWST also for imaging the very earliest universe possible.

The primary goal of WFIRST is cosmology. It will use three of the major tests, baryon acoustic oscillations, weak lensing and supernovae. It will complete at 2-3000 square degree survey with both near infrared slitless spectroscopy and deep near infrared imaging. It was originally a dark energy mission but it's slightly oddly placed now with the major change in design caused by the use of the NRO telescope. It also has major overlap with Euclid which will fly earlier.

Exoplanets were a secondary consideration, it's certainly not a Kepler replacement. The two exoplanet major projects will be a very high contrast coronograph to image large planets and a microlensing survey to detect free floating planets and get better statistics of planets far from their stars unlike Kepler which couldn't do that.
 
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  • #20
Vanadium 50 said:
Let's hope this one isn't plagued by poor management.
I didn't see a sarcasm icon in that post of yours.

It's hard to fathom that nobody has challenged you on this yet, V50. The JWST has been plagued by poor management from day one. The initial 1997 estimate was half a billion dollars for a 2007 launch. The current estimate is 8.8 billion dollars for a 2018 launch. That's over an order of magnitude increase in cost and over a decade slip in launch time.
 
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  • #21
D H said:
It's hard to fathom that nobody has challenged you on this yet, V50. The JWST has been plagued by poor management from day one. The initial 1997 estimate was half a billion dollars for a 2007 launch. The current estimate is 8.8 billion dollars for a 2018 launch. That's over an order of magnitude increase in cost and over a decade slip in launch time.

yikes !

didn't realize it had go so out of hand :frown:

Dave
 
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  • #22
JWST is plagued by horrible management. I was expressing the hope that the next one won't be.
 
  • #23
Vanadium 50 said:
I was expressing the hope that the next one won't be.
There is always hope.(I hope) :smile:
 
  • #24
davenn said:
yikes !

didn't realize it had go so out of hand :frown:

Dave
"Epic" mismanagement, but I can't wait to see it in action.
 
  • #25
This seems to be one of the best sites going for general info on the JWST.
http://webbtelescope.org/webb_telescope/
 
  • #26
Mega projects usually suffer unexpected cost over runs and delays. I recall reading the pyramids were originally projected to cost a few hundred slaves, blocks of granite and about a decade to complete. The designers and their families, at least those still living, were ordered ceremonially entombed therein upon completion. Perhaps that would serve as sufficient motivation for JWST project managers.
 
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  • #27
Chronos said:
Mega projects usually suffer unexpected cost over runs and delays. I recall reading the pyramids were originally projected to cost a few hundred slaves, blocks of granite and about a decade to complete. The designers and their families, at least those still living, were ordered ceremonially entombed therein upon completion. Perhaps that would serve as sufficient motivation for JWST project managers.
I like your way of thinking but you know Bureaucracies hate accountability. :wink:
 
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  • #28
 
  • #32
:smile::thumbup:


http://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/a-mechanical-harmony-to-nasas-webb-telescope-sunshield


Each step of the deployment will be manually initiated from engineers on Earth. That sequence runs automatically to its completion (with automated stoppage in case of a fault), then the system waits for the next command.

It will be like conducting an orchestra from a million miles away. "Thousands of components work together to deploy the sunshield," Cooper said.

The mechanisms that separate each of the sunshield's five layers do so with precision. Near the center of the sunshield each layer is separated by only a couple inches, but the layer-to-layer gap increases as you move away from the center, to about a foot between layers around the edges. It will take nearly two days to fully deploy the sunshield system when in orbit.

The Webb telescope state-of-the-art composite structure that supports the sunshield -operates with Swiss watch-like precision," said Paul Geithner, Webb telescope technical manager at Goddard. "The engineering of the sunshield is an intricate system with a simple but not easy-to-do purpose."

The stowed sunshield fits inside of a 5-meter (16.4-foot) rocket fairing, folded up against the sides of the telescope. When deployed in space it’s about the size of a tennis court (about 21 meters by 14.5 meters, or 68.9 feet by 47.5 feet).

"There has never been a composite structure this large and complex (for a NASA mission)," Cooper said.
 
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1. What is the purpose of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)?

The JWST is a powerful space telescope designed to observe the universe in infrared light. It will be used to study distant galaxies, stars, and planets, and to help us better understand the origins of our universe.

2. How is the JWST different from other space telescopes?

The JWST is significantly larger and more powerful than previous space telescopes, such as the Hubble Space Telescope. It has a 6.5 meter primary mirror, compared to Hubble's 2.4 meter mirror, and it is designed to operate in the infrared spectrum, allowing it to see further back in time and capture more detailed images of distant objects.

3. When will the JWST be launched?

The JWST is currently scheduled to be launched in October 2021. However, there have been several delays in its construction, so this date is subject to change.

4. How is the JWST being constructed?

The JWST is being constructed by a team of engineers and scientists from NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency. The components are being built and tested in different locations, and then assembled at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, USA.

5. What are some of the challenges in constructing the JWST?

One of the biggest challenges in constructing the JWST is its size and complexity. The telescope must be folded and compacted in order to fit inside the rocket that will launch it into space. Once in orbit, it will then have to unfold and deploy its various components, including the sunshield and primary mirror, which must be done with extreme precision. Additionally, the JWST is being designed to operate in extremely cold temperatures, which presents unique engineering challenges.

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