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Manufacturing milestone for James Webb Space Telescope NORTHROP GRUMMAN NEWS RELEASE Posted: August 22, 2005 NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) team completed the initial step in manufacturing all the primary mirrors for the next-generation space observatory's telescope -- an important program milestone. Northrop Grumman Corp. is the prime contractor, leading the JWST design and development effort.
The manufacturing process is being performed by Brush Wellman Inc. in Ohio, Axsys Technologies Inc. in Alabama and Tinsley Laboratories Inc. in California under contract to Northrop Grumman's lead optical contractor, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. Brush Wellman was responsible for the initial mirror manufacturing. "The primary mirror is on the critical path for the JWST mission," said Martin Mohan, JWST program manager at Northrop Grumman's Space Technology sector. "Brush Wellman not only created the mirror blanks to very precise specifications, but also delivered the units ahead of schedule. This accomplishment helps to reduce the risk on this challenging program." Mirrors move through manufacturing in a process that takes about 53 months. Following blank production at Brush Wellman, the mirror segments are precision machined at Axsys Technologies. This step reduces the weight of each segment from 553 pounds to 46 pounds and puts the correct optical prescription on the mirror. The third, at Tinsley Laboratories, involves precision grinding and polishing of the optical surfaces. Finally, the mirrors are incorporated into optical assemblies and mounted on the telescope structure. The Webb telescope features a 6.5-meter (20 feet) aperture primary mirror comprised of 18 beryllium segments and will be the largest deployable telescope ever launched. Beryllium, one of the lightest of all metals, was selected as the mirror technology for its demonstrated track record operating at cryogenic temperatures (around -370 degrees Fahrenheit) on space-based telescopes. On orbit, JWST will peer into the infrared at great distances to search for answers to astronomers' fundamental questions about the birth and evolution of galaxies, the size and shape of the universe and the mysterious life cycle of matter. The space-based observatory will reside in an orbit 940,000 miles from Earth at the L2 Lagrange point. Northrop Grumman provides technologically advanced, innovative products, services and solutions in systems integration, defense electronics, information technology, advanced aircraft, shipbuilding and space technology. Headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif., Northrop Grumman employs 125,000 people worldwide. |
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Mounted atop a modified Boeing 747, space shuttle Discovery was ferried across the country from Edwards Air Force Base, California, to Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
Launch of the GOES-N weather observatory aboard a Boeing Delta 4 rocket is postponed at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter lifts off aboard a Lockheed Martin Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral's Complex 41.
NASA Administrator Mike Griffin and Associate Administrator for Space Operations Bill Gerstenmaier hold a news conference from Agency Headquarters in Washington on August 18 to announce a delay in the next shuttle flight from September to next March. (38min 02sec)
Explosives topple the abandoned Complex 13 mobile service tower at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. This video was shot from the blockhouse roof at neighboring Complex 14 where John Glenn was launched in 1962.
This extended movie shows Steve Robinson riding the station's robot arm, moving within reach of Discovery's underside and successfully pulling out the first protruding tile gap filler. (6min 45sec file)
This extended movie shows Steve Robinson successfully pulling out the second protruding tile gap filler. (9min 23sec file)
The External Stowage Platform-2 designed to hold spares and replacement equipment for the space station is attached to the Quest airlock module's outer hull during the spacewalk. (6min 29sec file)
Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi climbed 60 feet above Discovery's payload bay to the space station's P6 solar array truss to attach the Materials International Space Station Experiment-5 package. (4min 08sec file)
Noguchi deploys the MISSE-5 package, revealing a host of material samples to the space environment for extended exposure. (3min 43sec file)
Noguchi's helmet-mounted camera provides a stunning view atop the P6 truss showing Discovery to his right and the Russian segment of the space station on his left. (2min 31sec file)
