The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) James Webb Space Telescope has officially been folded and stowed into the same configuration as it will be when being loaded onto the Ariane V rocket that is due for launch next year.
The James Webb Space Telescope is NASA's biggest and most complex space telescope that they have ever built. In fact, it is too massive for any kind of rocket available in its fully expanded form, and the whole observatory was designed to fold itself like origami to try and achieve a much smaller configuration.
The observatory will then unfold in space and will stretch itself in a cautiously practiced series of steps before making observations.
NASA's largest space telescope
According to SpaceRef, Webb project manager for NASA Goddard Space flight Center, Bill Ochs said, "The James Webb Space Telescope achieved another significant milestone with the entire observatory in its launch configuration for the first time, in preparation for environmental testing. I am very proud of the entire Northrop Grumman and NASA integration and test team. This accomplishment demonstrates the outstanding dedication and diligence of the team in such trying times due to COVID-19."
The entire project continues despite the global pandemic
The testing team's charter is to ensure that every piece of hardware and software within the James Webb Space Telescope will successfully work, not only individually, but fully as an observatory. Now that the telescope is assembled, engineers and technicians have already taken the opportunity to try and command the entire spacecraft to carry out all of the stages that it will perform when in space.
"While operating under augmented personal safety measures because of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the project continues to make good progress and achieve significant milestones in preparation for upcoming environmental testing. Team member safety continues to be our highest priority as the project takes precautions to protect Webb's hardware and continue with integration and testing. NASA will continually assess the project's schedule and adjust decisions as the situation evolves," Webb program director, Gregory L. Robinson said.
The James Webb Space Telescope will be the entire globe's premier space observatory when it finally launches next year, 2021. The telescope will do its job in solving mysteries in our solar system and will try to look beyond other stars and galaxies to study and understand further the cosmos, especially when it comes to the origins and structures of our universe.
This international program is led by NASA with the Canadian Space Agency and European Space Agency as their partners.
For more information about Webb, click here.
