The James Webb Space Telescope mission status

Michael W. McElwain; Lee D. Feinberg; Randy A. Kimble; Charles W. Bowers; J. Scott Knight; Charles Atkinson; Marshall D. Perrin; Jane R. Rigby; Erin C. Smith; Christopher C. Stark; Susan G. Neff; Jonathan P. Gardner; John C. Mather

doi:10.1117/12.2630478

27 August 2022 The James Webb Space Telescope mission status

Michael W. McElwain, Lee D. Feinberg, Randy A. Kimble, Charles W. Bowers, J. Scott Knight, Charles Atkinson, Marshall D. Perrin, Jane R. Rigby, Erin C. Smith, Christopher C. Stark, Susan G. Neff, Jonathan P. Gardner, John C. Mather

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 12180, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2022: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave; 121800P (2022) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2630478
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2022, Montréal, Québec, Canada

Abstract

The James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) is a large, infrared space telescope that recently completed its on-orbit commissioning activities and has now embarked on its first year of approved science. Its architecture includes many first-of-its kind innovations for space, including a segmented primary mirror that is 6.6 m in diameter and a 5-layer sunshield used to passively cool the telescope and its four science instruments. Although Webb had an extensive test program, the system-level performance often relied on predictions based on integrated modeling, using conservative factors for the model uncertainties and primarily focusing on evaluating the performance at the end of life. A set of commissioning activities were designed for a system-level characterization of the performance. This proceeding will provide the status of the mission, including a discussion of the major events, on-orbit system performance, and early science highlights.

Conference Presentation

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Michael W. McElwain, Lee D. Feinberg, Randy A. Kimble, Charles W. Bowers, J. Scott Knight, Charles Atkinson, Marshall D. Perrin, Jane R. Rigby, Erin C. Smith, Christopher C. Stark, Susan G. Neff, Jonathan P. Gardner, and John C. Mather "The James Webb Space Telescope mission status", Proc. SPIE 12180, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2022: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave, 121800P (27 August 2022); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2630478

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