NASA’s new space telescope unveiled its giant gold-plated mirror on Saturday, the latest in a series of spectacular displays.
The final section of the 21-foot (6.5-meter) glass was moved to the site by order of flight controllers, completing the opening of the James Web space telescope.
“I am emotional. What a wonderful chapter. We now see that beautiful design in the sky, according to NASA Science Mission Chief Thomas Zurbuch.
The $ 10 billion web, more powerful than the Hubble Space Telescope, explores the cosmos of the first stars and galaxies that were created 13.7 billion years ago. To achieve this, NASA Webb had to wear the “Golden Eye”, as scientists say, the largest and most mysterious mirror ever opened.
The web was so large that two weeks ago, it had to be bent to fit the rocket from South America. The most dangerous surgery took place earlier in the week, when the tennis court opened with a sun-shaped curtain and cast a shadow below the mirror and infrared probes.
Baltimore flight attendants opened the front window on Friday, opening the left side like a drop-in table. It was Saturday, and as he entered the venue on the right, Pepi filled the music room. After the applause, the supervisors immediately closed everything and returned to work. With CVD-19 cases increasing globally, they finally jumped to their feet 2/2 hours after the operation, exchanged high-five, and cheered with a mask behind their backs.
Congratulations @NASAWebb! You are fully engaged! 🥳
When the Space Telescope Arrival Arrangement Reach 2 and wait for us in the coming months # Open the universe: pic.twitter.com/qg6jmVRCsH
– NASA (@NASA) January 8, 2022
“We have a telescope in orbit, and we have the best telescope the world has ever seen,” Zurbuchin said. “So how does everyone feel about making history? You just did it.
The astronomer of the European Space Agency, Antonella Notta, noted that after years of preparation, the team made everything “surprisingly easy.”
“It’s been a long time coming,” she said.
The main glass of the web is made of beryllium, lightweight but strong and cold-resistant steel. Each of the 18 rooms is covered with a very thin layer of gold, very infrared. The hexagonal, coffee table size sections need to be adjusted over the next few weeks so they can focus on one Stars, galaxies, and aliens It can contain life signs in the atmosphere.
“Right now we have 18 primers that have their own set of mirrors, they have their own melody in any key, and we have to make it work like a chorus, and this is a tedious process,” project project scientist Jane Rigby told reporters.
#NASAWebb Fully expanded! 🎉
This is the final deployment of our glass wings.
50 main deployment, completed.
178 PIN, Released.
20+ years of work, realized.next to # Open the universeOn our way to our orbital destination to LaGrange Point 2! pic.twitter.com/mDfmlaszzV
– NASA Web Telescope (@NASAWebb) January 8, 2022
The web should reach 1 million miles (1.6 million km) in the next two weeks. It is 667,000 miles (1 million km) from the ground up since Christmas. If all goes well, scientific observations will begin this summer. Astronomers hope to look back on the Big Bang universe in 100 million years.
Project manager Bill Oaks said the team had made “unprecedented achievements” in the past two weeks, but that the team would not give up.
“Not down here. It’s all about play. ”
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