The first mirror segment has finally been installed on theJames Webb Space Telescope ( JWST ) , marking a milestone in the building of the next coevals telescope . All the 18 section should be in place by early 2016 .
The JWST is the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope and will be able to await far than its predecessor . It will be up to of observing the first whizz in the universe as well as detect the atmosphere and possible traces of life on exoplanets .
This week , the engine room team is using a robot arm to countermand and carefully position the mirror segments , each measuring 1.3 meters ( 4.2 feet ) across and weighing 40 kilograms ( 88 pounds ) .
The entire 6.5 - meter ( 21 - invertebrate foot ) primary mirror is composed of the 18 different hexangular segments , which will give the telescope a pile up area of 25 square beat ( 269 square feet ) , which is five time the compile area of Hubble .
comparing between Hubble and JWST . NASA .
Each mirror is made of beryllium , an extremist - lightweight material , and coat in amber . They will be able to blossom forth and on the nose align when the scope reaches its situation 1.5 million kilometer ( 1 million miles ) from the Earth .
The big characteristic of JWST is a lawn tennis court - size , five - layersunshield , which protect the telescope from vivid solar irradiation . The scope will be capable of run into both seeable and infrared brightness level , and to perform at its best , the instrumentation needs to be keep very cold – under 50 Kelvin ( -220 ° C , -370 ° F ) .
“ After a terrific amount of workplace by an incredibly consecrate squad across the state , it is very exciting to start up the primary mirror segment installation process , ” said Lee Feinberg , James Webb Space Telescope ocular telescope element manager , in astatement . “ This bulge the final gathering form of the scope . ”
The JWST is a joint project between NASA , the European Space Agency ( ESA ) , and the Canadian Space Agency . It will be set up in October 2018 from French Guiana on an ESA Ariane V rocket .
you could observe the advancement of the mirror installation via alive webcam feed .
