NASA’s Webb Reaches Alignment Milestone, Optics Working Successfully
NASA’s Webb Reaches Alignment Milestone, Optics Working Successfully
Following the completion of critical mirror alignment steps, the James Webb Space Telescope team has great confidence that the observatory’s optical performance will meet or exceed the science goals it was built to achieve.
On March 11, the Webb team completed the stage of alignment known as “fine phasing” – and at this key stage in the commissioning of Webb’s Optical Telescope Element, every optical parameter that has been checked and tested is performing at, or above, expectations. The team found no critical issues and no measurable contamination or blockages to Webb’s optical path. The observatory is able to successfully gather light from distant objects and deliver it to its instruments without issue.
Although there are months to go before Webb ultimately delivers its new view of the cosmos, achieving this milestone means the team is confident that Webb’s first-of-its-kind optical system is working as well as possible.
Music Credit: Emerging Discovery Instrumental by Carter / Universal Production Music
"NASA’s Webb Reaches Alignment Milestone, Optics Working Successfully" produced video
Mirror phasing release B-roll
Credits
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
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Technical support
- Aaron E. Lepsch (ADNET Systems, Inc.)
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Animator
- Adriana Manrique Gutierrez (KBR Wyle Services, LLC)
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Producer
- Michael McClare (KBR Wyle Services, LLC)
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Videographers
- Michael McClare (KBR Wyle Services, LLC)
- Michael P. Menzel (Advocates in Manpower Management, Inc.)
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Video editor
- Michael McClare (KBR Wyle Services, LLC)
Release date
This page was originally published on Wednesday, March 16, 2022.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 11:44 AM EDT.