NASA
Topics
Missions
Galleries
NASA TV
Follow NASA
Downloads
About
NASA Audiences
Search;
Latest
Related
Webb Telescope
NASAs Webb Reaches Alignment
Mar 16,2022
Milestone; Optics Wlorking Successfully
RELEASE
22-024
17 hours ag0
El telescopio Webb de la NASA alcanza un
NASA's Webb Reaches Alignment Milestone; Optics
in
hito enSU alineacion
Working Successfully
17 hours 2g0
Lee esta nota de prensa en espanol aqul,
NASA to Discuss Progress as Webb
Telescope 5 Mirrors Align
Following the completion of critical mirror alignment steps, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope team expects that Webb's optical performance will be able to
davs 2g0
meet or exceed the science goals the observatory was built to achieve,
NASA to Discuss Webb Telescope Progress;
On March 11, the Webb team completed the stage of alignment known as "fine phasing 
At this key stage in the commissioning of Webb's Optical Telescope
Mirror Alignment
Element; every optical parameter that has been checked and tested is performing at, or above, expectations. The team also found no critical issues and no
month Jgo
measurable contamination or blockages to Webb's optical
The observatory is able t0 successfully gather light from distant objects and deliver it to its
Instruments without issue:
NASA to Discuss Webb s Arrival at Flnal"
Although there are months t0 go before Webb ultimately delivers its new view of the cosmos; achieving
Destination Next
this milestone means the team is confident that Webb's first-of-its-kind optical system is working as
telescope Alignient Evaluatidm IMAGE
months ag0
well as possible
Aun ano del mandato de Biden; Ia NASA
"More than 20 years ago,the Webb team set out to build the most powerful telescope that anyone has
ever put in space and came up with an audacious optical design to meet demanding science goals;
nira hacia el futuro
said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in
months Jgo
Washington: "Today we can say that design is going to deliver:"
Ore Year into the Biden Administration;
While some of the largest ground-based telescopes on Earth use segmented primary mirrors, Webb is
NASA Looks to Future
the first telescope in space t0 use such
design: The 21-foot; 4-inch (6.5-meter) primary mirror
much
2 months Jgo
[0O
big to fit inside
rocket fairing
is made up of 18 hexagonal, beryllium mirror segments
It had to
While the purpose of this image vas to focus on the bright star at
be folded up for Iaunch and then unfolded in space before each mirror was adjusted
[0 within
the center for alignment evaluation; Webb's optics and NIRCam
nanometers
to form
single mirror sunace.
5o sensitive that the galaxies and stars seen in the
background shov up- At this stage
Webb'
mirror alignment,
"In addition t0
enabling the incredible science that Webb will achieve; the teams that designed; built;
Knouin
"fine phasing;
each
the primary mirror segments
tested, launched, and now operate this observatory have pioneered
new way t0 build space
have been adjusted
produce one unified image of the same
using only the NIRCam instrument: This image of the star;
telescopes,
said Lee Feinberg; Webb optica
telescope element manager at NASA's Goddard Space
which is called ZMASS J17554042-6551277, uses
red iilter t0
Flight Center in Greenbelt; Maryland.
optimize visual contrast:
Credits: NASAISTScI
NASAs Webb Reaches Alignment Milestone, Optics Working Successfully
Watch later
Share
Wcod
path:
Steps