The James Webb Space Telescope saw a good example – indeed – during its months of calibration for deep space observation.
The last maker of the $ 10 billion James Webb Space Telescope has finally fulfilled his working heat on nothing. The launch will ensure the observatory can detect cosmic objects in infrared light, according to a report Wednesday (April 13) from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California, leading to the US company on the device, called Mid- Infrared Device (MIRI).
The telescope has been cool since its inception in Dec. 25, 2021, which brings the heat needed for MIRI to accurately detect infrared light, which reflects heat. The MIRI needs to be at a temperature a little below 7 degrees Kelvin, which is equivalent to 447 degrees Fahrenheit (less than 266 degrees Celsius). And the hard -hitting procedures went well, thanks to a lot of training.
“We spent years training for that time, running the orders and evaluations that we did at MIRI,” said Mike Ressler, project scientist for MIRI at JPL, in a statement. To say. “It was like a movie: Everything we were supposed to do was written and executed.
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The hot milestone is a critical moment in Webb’s multi-phase, six-month-long implementation period to properly set up his mirrors and instruments for in-depth viewing. Adjustment should continue as long as the telescope cools, as the shape of the pieces will change as the temperature drops. But in the meantime, Webb’s design is much better.
MIRI’s biggest stress is called the “pinch point,” when the instrument drops from a low temperature of 15 Kelvin (minus 433 degrees F, or 285 degrees C) to a low temperature. very hot. This “pinch point” represents a point of change during the cryocooler, where it is necessary to get Webb to his final heat, the less likely it is to dissipate heat.
“The cooler team MIRI has put a lot of effort into developing the process for the pinch point,” said Analyn Schneider, project manager for MIRI at JPL, in a similar statement. “The team was happy and excited about the hard work. As a result, it was a textbook of the process, and the work was much better than expected.”
MIRI’s cold temperatures must also overcome what scientists call “black,” or the electric current created by atoms vibrating with sensors. These small movements can produce false signals in the player’s data, distorting the data.
To ensure that the MIRI runs smoothly, the company prepares additional test images of the stars and other objects to test its calibration and performance. Calibration continues on the glasses of Webb and three other manufacturers as the telescope company expects to complete its work around June.
NASA said it will hold a “critical decision -making team” after the alignment, during which the telescope will be able to accurately observe the light on each instrument, to ensure that the the process. Then comes the final fulfillment.
All of this provides planning, which is expected to begin a first science program (Cycle 1) around June, with a “Cycle 2” working science project expected to begin mid -2023.
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