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The James Webb Space Telescope and stuff

Streetwind

By Streetwind
in Science & Spaceflight

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JoeSchmuckatelli

JoeSchmuckatelli

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Between May 23 and 25, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope sustained an impact to one of its primary mirror segments

... 

This most recent impact was larger than was modeled, and beyond what the team could have tested on the ground.

... 

After initial assessments, the team found the telescope is still performing at a level that exceeds all mission requirements despite a marginally detectable effect in the data

This recent impact caused no change to Webb’s operations schedule, as the team continues to check out the science instruments’ observing modes and prepares for the release of Webb’s first images and the start of science operations

 

 

From the blog 

(FWIW - my pucker factor was high as I read about this) 

Edited by JoeSchmuckatelli
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StrandedonEarth

StrandedonEarth

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Posted
35 minutes ago, JoeSchmuckatelli said:

Between May 23 and 25, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope sustained an impact to one of its primary mirror segments

... 

This most recent impact was larger than was modeled, and beyond what the team could have tested on the ground.

... 

After initial assessments, the team found the telescope is still performing at a level that exceeds all mission requirements despite a marginally detectable effect in the data

This recent impact caused no change to Webb’s operations schedule, as the team continues to check out the science instruments’ observing modes and prepares for the release of Webb’s first images and the start of science operations

 

 

From the blog 

(FWIW - my pucker factor was high as I read about this) 

Relevant tweet:

 

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HvP

HvP

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2 hours ago, JoeSchmuckatelli said:

James Webb Space Telescope sustained an impact to one of its primary mirror segments

It seems obvious in retrospect, but the larger the surface area the greater the risk of random collisions.

The NASA Webb team naturally have studied the risk, but there is always the unlucky possibility that an outlier in size or momentum will hit something sensitive. Fortunately, having a bigger mirror surface is itself a form of redundancy in a way.

Edited by HvP
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RCgothic

RCgothic

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Annoying for it to happen this soon into the mission though. Hope it's an outlier rather than evidence of a generally more hostile than planned environment.

Edited by RCgothic
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JoeSchmuckatelli

JoeSchmuckatelli

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3 hours ago, RCgothic said:

Annoying for it to happen this soon into the mission though. Hope it's an outlier rather than evidence of a generally more hostile than planned environment.

Mercury in retrograde 

https://astrostyle.com/mercury-retrograde/

 

Edited by JoeSchmuckatelli
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JoeSchmuckatelli

JoeSchmuckatelli

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July 12 is the scheduled date for release of color images from the team. 

"The first two instrument modes, NIRCam imaging and NIRISS imaging, have been declared ready for science; watch the “Where is Webb” page as the team works their way through the other 15 instrument modes.

After commissioning is finished, the fun – and discoveries – will start: implementing the hundreds of peer-reviewed science programs that have been selected for Webb’s first year. The area on the sky that Webb can see at any given time is called the field of regard. Deciding which observations to make on which day is a complicated process designed to optimize observational efficiency and manage the observatory’s resources"

 

My reading suggests that early priority is being given to certain projects that, together, will showcase the range of science that Webb can provide as inspiration for the community... To stimulate new proposals and, perhaps novel science. 

 

 

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grawl

grawl

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On 6/8/2022 at 9:39 PM, JoeSchmuckatelli said:

James Webb Space Telescope sustained an impact to one of its primary mirror segments

It just occurred to me.

The title of this thread might have a totally different meaning in the future, if a more significant impact ever happens.

:sealed:

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JoeSchmuckatelli

JoeSchmuckatelli

Posted
Posted
15 hours ago, grawl said:

It just occurred to me.

The title of this thread might have a totally different meaning in the future, if a more significant impact ever happens.

:sealed:

 

14 hours ago, StrandedonEarth said:

Yeah, might be time for a title update, @Streetwind

Don't you jinx it! 

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StrandedonEarth

StrandedonEarth

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1 hour ago, Streetwind said:

Alright! By popular request, and by that I mean @StrandedonEarth who looks reasonably popular, the title has been vaguified :P

Well, I was the thinking more along the lines of ”The James Webb Telescope: Its ongoing mission: To explore strange new worlds…”

Although I suppose that still leaves the Tribbles discussion on the table…

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grawl

grawl

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2 hours ago, StrandedonEarth said:

can’t wait to see some full-on science pics from this space sailboat!

I remember the plan was to fully set it up in 6 months, once up there.

So, I guess we may see pictures during the summer. :cool:

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JoeSchmuckatelli

JoeSchmuckatelli

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we are featuring MIRI’s medium-resolution spectroscopy mode and sharing our first spectroscopic engineering data.

MIRI_Spectrum-1200x796.png

MIRI_MRS-1200x369.png

Once the spatial alignment and image quality of the several bands are well characterized, the MIRI team will prioritize calibrating the spectroscopic response of the instrument. This step will include determining the wavelength solution and spectral resolution throughout each of the twelve fields of view using observations of compact emission-line objects and diffuse planetary nebulae ejected by dying stars. We show the exceptional spectral resolving power of the MRS with a small segment of a spectrum obtained from recent engineering observations of the active galactic nucleus at the core of Seyfert galaxy NGC 6552. Once these basic instrument characteristics are established, it will be possible to calibrate MRS so that it is ready to support the wealth of Cycle 1 science programs due to start in a few short weeks.”

(From the blog)

 

...

 

Looking like Webb might offer a tad more granularity than Spitzer.

Edited by JoeSchmuckatelli
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Gargamel

Gargamel

Posted
Posted
On 6/14/2022 at 12:39 PM, Streetwind said:

Alright! By popular request, and by that I mean @StrandedonEarth who looks reasonably popular, the title has been vaguified :P

Grrrrr. forgot you did this and I got mad that somebody had made another thread... started looking for the "it's done!" thread and was going to yell at people.     I think I'm grumpy. 

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