KEYWORDS: James Webb Space Telescope, Space telescopes, Mirrors, Sensors, Telescopes, Space operations, Stars, Observatories, Hubble Space Telescope, Galactic astronomy
The JWST project at the GSFC is responsible for the development, launch, operations and science data processing for the James Webb Space Telescope. The JWST project is currently in phase B with its launch scheduled for August 2011. The project is a partnership between NASA, ESA and CSA. The U.S. JWST team is now fully in place with the selection of Northrop Grumman Space Technology (NGST) as the prime contractor for the telescope and the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) as the mission operations and science data processing lead. This paper will provide an overview of the current JWST architecture and mission status including technology developments and risks.
KEYWORDS: Mirrors, Observatories, James Webb Space Telescope, Space telescopes, Telescopes, Image segmentation, Actuators, Space operations, Wavefronts, Stars
JWST will be used to help understand the shape and chemical composition of the universe, and the evolution of galaxies, stars and planets. With a 6.5 meter primary mirror, the Observatory will observe red shifted light from the early history of the universe, and will see objects 400 times fainter than those seen from large ground-based telescopes or the current generation of space-based infrared telescopes. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) manages JWST with contributions from a number of academic, government, and industrial partners. The contract to build the space-based Observatory for JWST was awarded to the Northrop Grumman Space Technology (NGST)/Ball/Kodak/ATK team.
NASA is developing the NICMOS Cooling System (NCS) for deployment during Servicing Mission 3 of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in late 1999. The NCS is intended to provide mechanical cryocooling for the near IR camera and multi- object spectrometer (NICMOS) instrument that was installed during servicing mission 2 in February 1997. The NICMOS with NCS can potentially continue the near-IR capability of HST through the currently scheduled end-of-mission in 2010. The NCS hardware is currently in final integration and will soon start a series of rigorous ground and flight test that will prepare it for installation in the HST.
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