The time machine: JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE

 James Webb Space Telescope

IMAGE CREDIT: NASA





INTRODUCTION:

James Webb Space Telescope is also Known as JWST, JAMES WEBB is a space telescope jointly developed by NASA, ESA, CSA & STSI.

History of JAMES WEBB:

After the launch of the Hubble space telescope(HST), engineers thought of building a more powerful space telescope than Hubble. This new idea started in 1996. Then, after a lot of funding issues, the construction of James Webb began.


Companies participating in James Webb mission:

NASA, ESA(European Space Agency), CSA(Canadian Space agency) & STSI (Space telescope Science Institute)are the companies responsible for James Webb.

STSI gave the IDEA of JWST. THIS COMPANY HELPS TO OPERATE HST also.

LOCATION OF JWST:

image credit: NASA



Unlike HST, JWST will be located in the LAGRANGE point 2 of earth. L2 is a point where a spacecraft doesn't need more fuel to stay at the same point. To know more about it, you can visit my previous blogs. Scientists chose L2 as Light from EARTH & Moon wouldn't disturb its observation. Sun's light will also not disturb it as it has got a sun shield as big as a tennis court.

PARTS OF JWST:

IMAGE FROM WIKIPEDIA.

James is like a Reflector telescope. 

Sun shield: There are 5 tennis court-sized sun shields in JWST. Those things would be folded before loading onto the rocket's fairing. Once, loaded & launched, it will come to its original shape after T+5 DAYS. When it's deployed, It will cool the telescope to about 385 degree Fahrenheit below 0.

Primary mirror

It has 18 hexagon mirrors coated with gold & the coating is about 1000 ATOMS thick. 

Secondary mirror:
It expands after 11+ days in space. This happens when it is halfway between the moon & L2.

There are a lot of parts in JWST. But, I haven't covered them all.

Time-line of JWST after launch:

T-10 hours: Ariane 5's rollout would start
T-Few Mins: The liquid powered VULCAIN 2 engine will ignite. Then, SRBs will ignite! 
T+2.20 MINS= SRB separation 
T+3.2 MINS= Fairing separation
T+25 MINS: JWST Separates from the second stage of the rocket
Northrop Grumman


T+30 MINS: Solar array deploys[IMAGE2]
                                                                 
Northrop Grumman


T+1 DAY: JWST CROSSES MOON
T+3 DAYS: Sun shield Pallets deployment[IMAGE3]
Northrop Grumman 


T+4.15 DAYS: Tower separating SPACECRAFT & sun shield
T+4.22 DAYS: Deployment of AFT FLAP
T+5.12 DAYS: MID BOOMS EXTEND
T+5.22 DAYS: Deployment of SUNSHIELD MEMBRANES[IMAGE4]
Northrop Grumman



T+11.10 DAYS: SECONDARY MIRROR DEPLOYS
T+13.10DAYS: PRIMARY MIRROR IN SHAPE




MISSON DETAILS:
LAUNCH DATE:25-12-2021[IST DATE]
LAUNCH TIME:12.20 UTC
LAUNCH LOCATION: FRENCH GUINEA SPACE CENTER[FRANCE]
COMPANIES:CSA, ESA & NASA
ROCKET: ARIANE 5

You can watch it in youtube.

I'm very excited for this launch. This is the first major launch of a telescope since my birth.



I'm a ten year-old-aerospace enthusiast. Please share this blog with others as it would encourage me to write more blogs! Thanks 


Comments

  1. Excellent! Pl pursue your interest in space science. I am sure that if you sustain your interest in the subject, you will enhance it greatly in the years to come and emerge eventually as a scientist who will be remembered for all times.

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