The James Webb Telescope is now super cool (thanks to its new sunshield)
- smp
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The James Webb Telescope is now super cool (thanks to its new sunshield)
From Art Technica:
"... As of late Tuesday morning, NASA and the telescope's primary contractor, Northrop Grumman, successfully stretched all five layers of the telescope's sunshield. This step completed the critical process of deploying the telescope's massive and essential sunshield, which keeps the telescope cold so that it can make delicate observations of faint objects. ..."
https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/01 ... eployment/
Another complex step completed!
smp
"... As of late Tuesday morning, NASA and the telescope's primary contractor, Northrop Grumman, successfully stretched all five layers of the telescope's sunshield. This step completed the critical process of deploying the telescope's massive and essential sunshield, which keeps the telescope cold so that it can make delicate observations of faint objects. ..."
https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/01 ... eployment/
Another complex step completed!
smp
Stephen
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Re: The James Webb Telescope is now super cool (thanks to its new sunshield)
So how many point failures are left before it becomes operational?
Any metaphor will tear if stretched over too much reality.
Gary C
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Gary C
Celestron Astro Master 130mm f5 Newtonian GEM
Meade 114-EQ-DH f7.9 Newtonian w/ manual GEM
Bushnell 90mm f13.9 Catadioptric
Gskyer 80mm f5 Alt/Az refractor
Jason 10x50 Binoculars
Celestron 7x50 Binoculars
Svbony 2.1x42 Binoculars
(And a bunch of stuff I'm still trying to fix or find parts for.)
- smp
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Re: The James Webb Telescope is now super cool (thanks to its new sunshield)
A previous article stated:
"All told, from launch through commissioning, the Webb instrument must undergo 344 actions where a single-point failure could scuttle the telescope. Following sunshield deployment, Ochs said the Webb instrument will be through "70 to 75 percent" of these single-point failures."
And, that was before the sun shield tensioning, I believe.
smp
"All told, from launch through commissioning, the Webb instrument must undergo 344 actions where a single-point failure could scuttle the telescope. Following sunshield deployment, Ochs said the Webb instrument will be through "70 to 75 percent" of these single-point failures."
And, that was before the sun shield tensioning, I believe.
smp
Stephen
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Telescopes: Questar 3.5 Standard SN 18-11421; Stellina (EAA)
Solar: Thousand Oaks white light filter; Daystar Quark (chromosphere) Hα filter
Mounts: Explore Scientific Twilight I; Majestic heavy duty tripod
Local Club: New Hampshire Astronomical Society
- - - - -
Telescopes: Questar 3.5 Standard SN 18-11421; Stellina (EAA)
Solar: Thousand Oaks white light filter; Daystar Quark (chromosphere) Hα filter
Mounts: Explore Scientific Twilight I; Majestic heavy duty tripod
Local Club: New Hampshire Astronomical Society
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Re: The James Webb Telescope is now super cool (thanks to its new sunshield)
The government and contractor PMs of that project are probably losing years of their lives given the stress they must be under during this deployment phase. Do not envy them one bit.
-Bill
U.S.A.F. Veteran - Visual Amateur Astronomer since 1966 - Fully Retired since 2019
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U.S.A.F. Veteran - Visual Amateur Astronomer since 1966 - Fully Retired since 2019
8" f/5 Newt - Lunt 152 f/7.9 - TSA 102 f/8 - Vixen 81S f/7.7 - P.S.T. - Pentax 65ED II - Nikon 12x50 AE
Pentax XWs - Baader Morpheus - Takahashi LEs - Edmund RKEs - BST Starguiders - 6ZAO-II/5XO/4Abbe
PM and Email communications always welcomed
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Re: The James Webb Telescope is now super cool (thanks to its new sunshield)
Very curious about the design process. I wonder how they settled on this plan versus assembly on orbit for instance.
Any metaphor will tear if stretched over too much reality.
Gary C
Celestron Astro Master 130mm f5 Newtonian GEM
Meade 114-EQ-DH f7.9 Newtonian w/ manual GEM
Bushnell 90mm f13.9 Catadioptric
Gskyer 80mm f5 Alt/Az refractor
Jason 10x50 Binoculars
Celestron 7x50 Binoculars
Svbony 2.1x42 Binoculars
(And a bunch of stuff I'm still trying to fix or find parts for.)
Gary C
Celestron Astro Master 130mm f5 Newtonian GEM
Meade 114-EQ-DH f7.9 Newtonian w/ manual GEM
Bushnell 90mm f13.9 Catadioptric
Gskyer 80mm f5 Alt/Az refractor
Jason 10x50 Binoculars
Celestron 7x50 Binoculars
Svbony 2.1x42 Binoculars
(And a bunch of stuff I'm still trying to fix or find parts for.)
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