“Deploying both wings of the telescope while part of the fully assembled observatory is another significant milestone showing Webb will deploy properly in space. See AlsoĪccording to the NASA press release, the deployment of the Primary Mirror was a significant milestone for the Northrop Grumman team. This is because they have to simulate a zero gravity environment to check that the telescope can operate in space. Each wing has to deploy for the telescope to operate properly.ĭeploying the Primary Mirror on the ground is complex for Northrop Grumman. On the Primary Mirror, there are two “wings,” one on the left and the other on the right. The reason that the Mirror folds on the telescope is that when deployed, the mirror is too large to fit inside of the 16 foot payload fairing during launch.
The mirror has a diameter 2.7 times the size of the one on the Hubble Space Telescope. The mirror on the James Webb Space Telescope is the largest ever built for NASA. The Primary Mirror is 21 feet and 4 inches across. The Primary Mirror will only be deployed once more – and that’ll be before shipment to the launch site. Northrop Grumman Space Systems has successfully completed the deployment of the Primary Mirror on NASA’s next-generation space telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope.ĭuring the deployment test, Northrop Grumman personnel instructed the spacecraft to deploy – and then securely latch – the Primary Mirror to the position which it will need to be in to conduct science.
0 kommentar(er)
