>> NASA'S JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE
LAUNCHED 12 DAYS AGO ON
DECEMBER 25TH.
THE PAST 12 DAYS HAVE BEEN
FILLED WITH SUCCESSFUL
DEPLOYMENTS LEADING UP TO
YESTERDAY'S COMPLETION OF THE 5
LAYER SUNSHIELD.
>> LIFTOFF JAMES WEBB BEGINS A
VOYAGE BACK TO THE BIRTH OF THE
UNIVERSE.
WE DO CONFIRMATION OF
OBSERVATORY.
THE AND THERE IS THE VIEW FROM
THE UPPER STAGE CAMERA ON
LOOKING AT THE JAMES WEBB SPACE
TELESCOPE AS IT MOVES GENTLY
AWAY FROM THE LAUNCH VEHICLE.
IRONICALLY ENOUGH AS WE MARVEL
ON THIS VIEW FROM THE UPPER
STAGE CAMERA THIS WILL BE
HUMANITIES LAST VIEW OF THE
JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE AS IT
MOVES FROM ITS WORKPLACE ABOUT A
MILLION MILES AWAY FROM EARTH.
QUITE A CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR
THE WORLD'S ASTRONOMERS AS JAMES
WEBB TELESCOPE BEGINS ITS LIFE
HEADING TOWARDS DEEP SPACE.
>> AFTER TODAY'S SUCCESSFUL
COMPLETION WEBB DEPLOYMENT
MISSION CONTROLLERS IN
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND ARE READY TO
MOVE ON TO THE NEXT MAJOR
MILESTONE THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE
WEBB SECONDARY MIRROR.
IN A FEW MINUTES THEY'LL RELEASE
THE SECONDARY MIRROR.
AND IS SERIES OF DEPLOYMENTS
RELATED TO WEBB.
>> EXCITING.
A MILE ACCOMPLISHED.
JOB WELL DONE, TEAM.
JOB WELL DONE.
AND OC, THAT LOOKS GOOD.
YOU'RE GOOD TO EXECUTE.
I'M YOUR HOST AND FOR THE REST
OF THE REMARKABLE LIVESTREAM
WILL BE DIALED INTO THE ACTION
AS MISSION MANAGERS SET UP THE
WEBB OBSERVATORY MILLIONS MILES
AWAY.
JOINING ME IS JULIE VAN CAMPEN.
WELCOME, JULIE.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> SO, AS WE LISTEN FOR
CONFIRMATION OF THE SECONDARY
STRUCTURE RELEASE, LET ME TALK
ABOUT HOW THINGS ARE LOOKING.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE MOC MISSION
OPERATION CENTER AT THE SCIENCE
INSTITUTE IN BALTIMORE MARYLAND.
WE ARE OCCASIONALLY PAUSING TO
LISTEN ABOUT THE SECONDARY
DEPLOYMENT.
WE'RE LISTENING IN TO THE
COMMAND BECAUSE YOU'RE LIVE WITH
US TODAY FOR THIS INCREDIBLE
SECONDARY MIRROR DEPLOYMENT.
HOW ARE THINGS LOOKING TODAY?
HOW ARE THINGS GOING?
>> THINGS ARE GOING REALLY WELL
TODAY.
THINGS HAVE WORKED INCREDIBLY
WELL OVER THE PAST 12 DAYS.
WE HAD MOMENTS OF EXCITEMENT AND
LOTS OF TENSION AS WE KIND OF
WAIT TO SEE HOW THINGS WORKED
OUT.
BUT OVERALL, GREAT.
WE'RE RIGHT ON OR SLIGHTLY AHEAD
OF SCHEDULE.
THEY WERE ABLE TO PUT US RIGHT
WHERE WE NEED TO BE IN ORBIT.
IT'S BEEN GREAT.
>> WHAT IS THE FIRST STEP IN
TODAY'S DEPLOYMENT?
AND THIS INVOLVES SOMETHING
CALLED NEA'S NON EXPLOSIVE
ACTUATORS.
WHEN DO THEY START THAT?
>> THEY SHOULD SOON.
RIGHT NOW THEY'RE CHECKING OUT
TO MAKE SURE THE TWO MOTORS THEY
USE WHEN THEY DO THE DEPLOYMENTS
ARE WORKING.
THEY MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS
READY TO GO FOR IT, BEFORE THEY
RELEASE THE LAUNCH, THEY'LL DO A
SMALL MOVE OF THE SECONDARY
SUPPORT STRUCTURE TO BRING IT
OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE AND CHECK
OUT ALL THEIR TELEMETRY AND MAKE
SURE THEY'RE HAPPY BEFORE THEY
COMPLETE THE FULL MOVE.
AFTER THAT, THEN THERE'S A
SEQUENCE THEY'LL GO THROUGH TO
LAUNCH TO LOCK THE MECHANISM
INTO POSITION AT THE RIGHT
ORIENTATION TO HAVE IT INTO THE
OBSERVATORY'S -- AWAY FROM
SENSING SYSTEM SO THAT CAN BE
ALIGNED LATER ON.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
SO, AS OUR VIEWERS ARE TUNING
IN, LET'S SORT OF GO OVER WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN THE SCREEN IN FRONT
OF THEM.
WE SEE SOME WINDOWS INTO THE MOC
MISSION OPERATIONS CENTER AND
THAT'S ON THE JOHN HOPKINS
CAMPUS ON BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
ON THE LEFT SIDE YOU'RE SEEING
AN ANIMATION BUT THIS ISN'T ANY
RANDOM ANIMATION AND THIS IS
BASED ON REAL DATA.
COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT WHAT WE
WITH ARE LOOKING AT AS FAR AS
THIS ANIMATION HERE?
>> THIS IS CALLED OUR
VISUALIZATION TOOL.
IT'S A REALLY INTERESTING WORK
BETWEEN 3-D MODELING AND SOME
TELEMETRY COMING DIRECTLY FROM
THE SPACECRAFT.
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THIS AS WE
GO THROUGH.
THERE IS SOME REAL TIME
TELEMETRY BEING FED INTO A MODEL
AND REACTS AS THOUGH THE
OBSERVATORY IS ACTUALLY DOING
THOSE MOVEMENTS IN SPACE.
IT'S NOT A VIDEO OR A MODEL
THAT'S PRE PROGRAMMED TO DO
THAT.
IT'S ACTUALLY RECEIVING THE
TELEMETRY TO MATCH THAT.
>> SO THEY'RE STOPPING THE
MOTOR AND DOING AN ALIVENESS
CHECK.
YOU HEAR THEN TALKING TO EACH
OTHER IN THE CONTROL ROOM.
EACH PERSON HAS DIFFERENT CALL
SIGNALS.
SO YOU'LL HEAR ONE PERSON CALLED
OC, THAT'S THE OPERATION
CONTROLLER.
AND YOU'LL HEAR CC, THE COMMAND
CONTROLLER.
MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE COMMANDS
THAT ARE SENT UP TO THE
OBSERVATORY ARE EXACTLY WHAT WE
WANT TO DO.
>> I VERIFY THAT COMMAND CUE IS
IN THE CENTRAL WINDOW.
>> COPY.
>> SO OC, AT THIS TIME WE ARE GO
TO PROCEED ON 022 TO DISABLE THE
ADU CRITICAL COMMAND.
>> COPY.
>> AND OC, THAT LOOKS GOOD.
YOU'RE GOOD TO EXECUTE.
>> COPY THAT.
AND YOU HAVE A GO TO CONTINUE.
>> COPY TO CONTINUE.
COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE IMPORTANT THING THAT'S
HAPPENING TODAY IS THE
DEPLOYMENT OF THE SECONDARY
MIRROR.
FEEL FREE TO LISTEN TO THE
CALLS.
I KNOW YOU'RE DOING THIS LIVE AS
WELL.
>> OC, I HAVE ALSO CONFIRMED
WITH THE LEAD THAT WE ARE READY
TO PERFORM THE LATCH MOTOR.
AT THIS TIME WE ARE GO TO
PROCEED ON TWO STEP 024 OR
THE --
>> THEY'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT
THE MOTOR.
BEFORE THEY WERE CHECKING IN
WITH THE DEPLOYMENT MOTOR AND
NOW THEY'LL CHECK THE LATCH
MOTOR.
BECAUSE THEY HAVE TWO DIFFERENT
MOTORS THAT HAVE TO OPERATE
DURING THIS SEQUENCE.
WE LOOK AT THE VISUALIZATION
TOOL RIGHT NOW YOU'LL SEE THAT
THE TWO WINGS ARE FOLDED BACK.
THE SECONDARY MIRROR AND IT'S A
LITTLE HARD TO SEE BUT THE
MIRROR ITSELF IS PERCHED ON TOP
OF THE TELESCOPE ON THOSE TWO
LONG SPINDLY LEGS WILL FOLD OUT
AND PUT IT DOWN INTO THE CENTER
OF THE PRIMARY MIRROR WHERE IT
CAN BE REFLECT BACK INTO THE
CENTER OF THE TELESCOPE.
THE TELESCOPE ITSELF IS A
REFLECTIVE TELESCOPE.
IT'S A 3-MIRROR SO THE LIGHT
WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT LATER
ABOUT THE LIGHT AND YOU'LL SEE
ONCE IT COMES OUT IT'S RIGHT ON
THE TELESCOPE ON 3 LONG SPINDLY
LEGS.
>> WE HAVE AN ANIMATION WE CAN
PLAY NOW ABOUT THE SECONDARY
MIRROR AND HOW IT WILL FOLD OUT.
>> YOU CAN SEE THE LEGS COME OUT
AND THE TOP HAS A HINGE IN THE
MIDDLE AND SNAPS INTO PLACE IS
AND WE'RE SEEING THE BACK OF THE
MIRROR SO IT LOOKS BLACK, BUT
THAT ROUND ITEM IN THE CENTER IS
THE MIRROR AND YOU CAN SEE IT'S
HELD A CERTAIN DISTANCE AWAY
FROM THE PRIMARY MIRROR.
THE PRIMARY MIRROR IS CONCAVED
AND THE SECONDARY IS CONVEXED
AND SHOOTS THE BEAM OF LIGHT
BACK DOWN.
>> THE INSTRUMENTS ARE PACKED
INTO A BOX THAT YOU CAN SEE
BEHIND THE TELESCOPE.
THERE'S A RECTANGULAR BOX WITH A
SLOPED TOP TO IT.
THAT'S WHERE ALL THE INSTRUMENTS
ARE PACKED AND THEY TAKE LIGHT
IN FROM THE CENTER OF THE
TELESCOPE AND BRING IT ON DOWN.
>> WE DO EXPECT THE YELLOW ALARM
FOR THE MOTOR ARM.
>> SO THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT
ALARMS RIGHT NOW AND WHAT THEY
MEAN BY THAT, AS WE MOVE THROUGH
DIFFERENT CHECKOUTS, THERE'S
TELEMETRY THAT COMES INTO THE
MOC AND IT GETS PROCESSED INTO A
GROUND SYSTEM AND THAT GROUND
SYSTEM LOOKS AT IT AND IT HAS
DIFFERENT PARAMETERS SET UP TO
ALERT US WHEN THINGS ARE
HAPPENING.
WE ASSIGNED ESSENTIALLY COLORED
LIGHTS TO COME ON ON THE DIGITAL
SCREEN.
THEY'RE NOT LIGHT BULBS.
SO AN ALARM WILL COME ON AND SAY
THIS MOTOR IS DOING SOMETHING,
OR THIS TEMPERATURE SENSOR IS
DOING SOMETHING, AND SOME OF
THEM ARE MEANT TO BE IN THAT
STATE FOR DIFFERENT TIMES AND
SOME IS OF THEM ARE NOT.
SO WE WATCH THEM AND WE ALERT
EACH OTHER TO OUR PLAN AS TO
WHAT WE SHOULD BE SEEING AT WHAT
TIME.
>> FOR THOSE OF YOU JUST JOINING
US WE ARE LOOKING AT THE LIVE
COVERAGE OF THE SECONDARY MIRROR
FOR THE JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE AND
YOU'RE LOOKING AT ANIMATION AS
TO THE CONFIGURATION THAT IT'S
IN AND WHAT'S GOING ON.
>> STAND BY FOR EVALUATION.
>> AND YOU'RE LISTENING LIVE
COMMANDS COMING FROM THE MISSION
OPERATION CENTER OR MOC IN
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
>> WE HAVE VERIFIED THAT SYNC
MOVE IS GOOD AND WE ARE GO TO
PROCEED FOR THE LAUNCH.
AND WE'RE PROCEEDING TO 026 OR
ALL PANEL VERIFY.
>> YOU ARE GOOD TO EXECUTE.
>> COPY.
>> THEY'RE RELEASING THE LAUNCH
LOCKS.
>> AND OC, YOU'RE GO TO
CONTINUE.
>> COPY, GO TO CONTINUE.
>> WE'LL HOLD HERE AND LISTEN TO
THE COMMANDS.
THIS IS A VERY MOMENTOUS
HAPPENING.
YOU'RE WATCHING LIVE COVERAGE OF
THIS.
WE'LL HOLD HERE JUST FOR A
LITTLE WHILE AND LISTEN TO
COMMANDS FROM THE MOC.
AS WE LISTEN FOR MORE COMMANDS
ONE THING I'LL ADD WE HAVE TIME,
WE BELIEVE, TO TAKE QUESTIONS
FROM SOCIAL MEDIA.
USE THE #ASKNASA.
>> MOC: I CAN CONFIRM BOTH
CHANNELS ARE SAFE.
AT THIS TIME WE ARE GO TO
PROCEED ONTO STEP 027 OR THE OTE
GROUP 3 AND OC, THAT LOOKS GOOD.
YOU'RE GO TO EXECUTE.
>> OC: ROGER.
EXECUTING.
>> MOC: OC, YOU'RE GO TO
CONTINUE AND ENABLE ORDINANCE
CARDS.
>> OC: COPY, GOING TO CONTINUE.
>> MOC: BOTH ORDINANCE CARDS ARE
ENABLED AND YOU'RE GO TO
CONTINUE WITH ORDINANCE CHANNEL
ARM.
>> OC: COPY.
>> MOC: CONFIRM BOTH CHANNELS
ARE ARMED AND NEXT COMMAND WILL
FIRE OTE GROUP 3.
OC, YOU ARE GO TO FIRE.
>> OC: COPY GO TO FIRE.
>> ANY COMMENTARY, YES.
>> THEY'RE FIRING THE LAUNCH
RELEASE MECHANISMS FOR THE OTE
LRM THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT
AND WHAT THESE ARE THE FINS
ESSENTIALLY IN A HOLDER THAT
RESTRAIN THE MECHANISM DURING
LAUNCH TO MAKE SURE THAT DURING
THE COURSES AND VIBRATION WE SEE
THAT EVERYTHING STAYS IN
POSITION AND DOESN'T PUT UNDUE
STRAIN ONTO THE MOTORS OR THE
MECHANISMS THEMSELVES DURING
THAT LAUNCH.
AT THIS POINT WE'RE RELEASING
THEM SO WE CAN MOVE THE
MECHANISMS.
>> FIRST WE'RE GOING TO RELEASE
THE MECHANISMS THAT KEEP THIS
ALL IN PLACE AND THEN WHEN CAN
WE EXPECT THE SECONDARY ARM JACK
TO BEGIN TO MOVE?
>> WELL, IT WILL -- THE VERY
FIRST MOVE WILL BE EXTREMELY
SMALL.
SO I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'LL BE
ABLE TO DISCERN IT ON THE
VISUALIZATION TOOL, BUT
DEFINITELY ONCE WE GET INTO THE
FULL MOVE WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE
THAT.
AND ONCE THEY RELEASE THOSE
MECHANISMS THEY'LL WANT TO TAKE
A MOMENT AND CHECK OUT AND MAKE
SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS EXACTLY
WHAT THEY WANT BEFORE THEY MOVE
ON.
>> MOC: COMPLETE.
AT THIS TIME WE ARE GO TO
PROCEED ON TO STEP 028 RELEASE
THE OTE LRM GROUP 5 AND OC THAT
SCRIPT LOOKS GOOD.
YOU ARE GO TO EXECUTE.
YOU'RE GO TO CONTINUE AND ENABLE
ORDINANCE CARDS.
>> OC: COPY.
GO TO CONTINUE.
>> AT THIS TIME WHAT THEY'RE
DOING IS THEY'RE RUNNING SCRIPTS
THAT ARE MADE AND TESTED WELL IN
ADVANCE.
THEY'RE TESTED ON SIMULATORS AND
TESTED ONTO THE REAL HARDWARE
WHEN WE'RE DOING GROUND TESTS
AND THEY'VE GONE THROUGH THESE
SCRIPTS THAT SEND UP COMMANDS TO
THE SPACECRAFT.
>> MOC: BOTH ORDINANCE CARDS ARE
ENABLED AND YOU'RE GO TO
CONTINUE WITH THE ORDINANCE
PANEL ARMS.
>> OC: COPY TO CONTINUE.
>> AS WE WALK THROUGH THE SCRIPT
WITH THE DEPLOYMENTS LEAD AND
OPERATION CONTROLLER, AS YOU CAN
HEAR THEY TALK BACK AND FORTH
AND VERY SLOWLY WALK THROUGH THE
SCRIPT AND STEP AND ALLOWING THE
COMMANDS TO BE SENT UP TO THE
SPACECRAFT AS WE MOVE THROUGH
IT.
SOME THINGS ARE CHECKED
AUTOMATICALLY BY THE SCRIPT AND
SOME THINGS WE WAIT FOR
VERIFICATION FROM THE ENGINEERS
ON THE GROUND BEFORE MOVING ON.
>> I CAN CONFIRM BOTH ORDINANCE
CHANNELS ARE ARMED AND SCS ARE
ENABLED AND NEXT COMMAND WILL
FIRE OTE LRM GROUP 5.
YOU ARE GO TO FIRE.
>> COPY.
GO TO FIRE.
>> YOU'RE WATCHING LIVE COVERAGE
OF THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE
SECONDARY MIRROR AND ABSOLUTELY
ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF THE JAMES
WEBB BE SPACE TELESCOPE.
WE'RE GETTING READY TO EXTEND
THE SECONDARY MIRROR A FEW
MINUTES FROM NOW.
>> WHEN THEY SAY GO TO FIRE,
WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING IS
THEY'RE PUTTING A CURRENT
THROUGH A BRICK WIRE THAT
RELEASES COILED WIRE THAT LETS A
CONE AND CUP ASSEMBLY LOOSEN AND
SEPARATE.
>> YOU'LL HEAR COMMENTARY FROM
MYSELF, MICHELLE THALLER, I COME
TO YOU FROM GODDARD SPACEFLIGHT
CENTER.
>> MOC: OC, I VERIFY COMPLETE.
O29 AND OC, THAT INPUT LOOKS
GOOD.
YOU'RE GO TO EXECUTE.
>> OC: COPY.
EXECUTING.
>> WHAT THEY'RE DOING NOW IS
STAND BY WHILE THEY GET READY TO
THE NEXT STEPS OF THE
DEPLOYMENT.
>> OF COURSE THE REASON THIS IS
SO DRAMATIC YOU'RE LOOKING AT
SOMETHING VERY HISTORIC HERE.
THIS IS THE LARGEST SPACE
OBSERVATORY EVER LAUNCHED, THE
JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE, AND
THE MIRROR ASSEMBLY IS SO LARGE
IT HAD TO BE FOLDED UP LIKE
ORIGAMI TO FIT INTO THE ROCKET.
WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT LATER
WHEN WE HAVE TIME.
>> MOC: I CONFIRM IT'S IN STAND
BY MODE AND STEP 030 TO EXECUTE
THE PERIMETER UPLOAD.
>> OC: COPY THAT.
>> MOC: THAT LOOKS GOOD.
YOU'RE GO TO EXECUTE.
>> OC: EXECUTING.
>> YOU'RE HEARING THE COMMANDS
FROM THE MOC.
>> MOC: OC, YOU ARE GO TO
CONTINUE.
>> OC: COPY.
GO TO CONTINUE.
>> YESTERDAY SAW THE TREMENDOUS
SUCCESS OF THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE
GIANT HEAT SHIELD TO KEEP THIS
VERY COLD INFRARED HEAT
TELESCOPE THERE IS A GIGANTIC 5
LAYER HEAT SHIELD.
EACH LAYER IS SIZE OF A TENNIS
COURT AND YESTERDAY WE WERE LIVE
FOR THE FINALE OF THAT AS FINAL
LAYER WAS DEPLOYED AND FULL NOW
FULLY OPERATIONAL COOLING THE
TELESCOPE AS WE SPEAK.
TELESCOPE COMPONENTS, THE MIRROR
WILL ALWAYS BE POINTED AWAY FROM
THE SON AND AS SUCH EXPOSED TO
THE COLD VACUUM OF SPACE WILL
COOL THE TEMPERATURES CLOSE TO
MINUS 400 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND
THAT HAS BEGUN BECAUSE THE HEAT
SHIELD IS ALREADY UP.
>> JUST LOOKING FOR YOU TO
CONFIRM YOU'VE GOT THIS FAR WITH
ALL YOUR EXPECTATIONS?
>> MOC: THAT'S AFFIRMATIVE.
WE HAVE BEEN PROCEEDING AS
EXPECTED.
>> COPY THAT.
THANK YOU.
SOME OF THE TELEMETRY IS
DIFFERENT SO WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT
YOU GUYS WERE ALL LOOKING AT.
BUT THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR.
THANK YOU.
>> THAT WAS THE VOICE OF OUR
MISSION OPERATION RACES MANAGER.
AS HE WAS TALKING TO THE
DEPLOYMENT TEAM.
HIS ACRONYM OBVIOUSLY IS MOM, SO
HEAR PEOPLE CALL HIM MOM, BUT IT
STANDS FOR MISSION OPERATIONS
MANAGER.
>> JULIE, YOU ARE THE DEPUTY
COMMISSIONING ENGINEER AND ALSO
YOU ARE THE LEAD SYSTEMS
ENGINEER FOR THE INSTRUMENT
PACKAGE, I BELIEVE.
MAYBE JUST GIVE US A LITTLE
INTRODUCTION AGAIN AS TO WHO YOU
ARE AND YOUR ROLE IN THIS
MISSION SOME
>> SURE.
SO, FOR COMMISSIONING,
THERE'S -- IT'S BROKEN DOWN INTO
SEVERAL PARTS LIKE THE PARTS
THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST 12
DAYS IS FOCUSSED ON SOME IS OF
THE SPACECRAFT DEPLOYMENT AND
GETTING THE SOLAR ARRAY OUT AND
GETTING THE COMMUNICATIONS
SYSTEM UP AND WORKING AND
GETTING THE SUNSHIELD OUT AND
TENSIONED AND ALL HAS BEEN VERY
INTENSIVE WORK ON THIS TEAM THAT
BUILT THE SPACECRAFT AND THE
SUNSHIELD AND THEN TODAY MARKS A
TRANSITION POINT.
SO TODAY WE SWITCH GEARS AND
WORK ON MORE ON TO THE COLD SIDE
AND OPTICS AND OPTICAL TELESCOPE
ELEMENT AND GETTING THAT
DEPLOYED AND SET UP AND FINAL
PART OF COMMISSIONING WILL BE WE
SWITCH GEARS AGAIN AND WE'LL GO
INTO IS THE SCIENCE INSTRUMENTS
AND GET THEM TURNED ON AND
CALIBRATED.
SO AS OUR COMMISSIONING IS
BROKEN INTO WE HAVE DIFFERENT
PEOPLE WHO KIND OF OVERSEE FROM
TECHNICAL POINT WHAT'S GOING ON
AND HOW THINGS ARE GOING.
SO, MY EXPERTISE IS MORE TOWARDS
THE TELESCOPE ITSELF AND THE
INSTRUMENTS AND THEN WE AND
LITTLE BIT TODAY I WANT TO GIVE
A QUICK SHUTOUT FOR THE PEOPLE
WHO BUILT THE TELESCOPE AND
ASSEMBLED AND DONE IT I WASN'T
DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH A LOT OF
THAT BUT ALL THOSE PEOPLE ARE
NEEDED TO BE THERE IN THE
CONTROL ROOM WATCHING THE DATA
BE AVAILABLE IF THERE IS
PROBLEMS OR QUESTIONS.
SO I GET THE FEELING TODAY FOR
THE TELESCOPE AND TO TALK ABOUT
THIS AND YOU'LL PROBABLY HEAR
SUPERVISOR SOME MORE PEOPLE
ALONG THE WAY, MICHELLE, AS
DIFFERENT EXPERTS HAVE MORE TIME
AND AVAILABILITY TO TALK TO YOU.
>> WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE,
JULIE.
THE WE'RE LOOKING AGAIN AT LIVE
COVERAGE OF THE DEPLOYMENT OF
THE SECONDARY MIRROR FOR THE
JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE THAT
SHOULD BE HAPPENING A FEW
MINUTES FROM NOW A REAL TIME
ANIMATION CREATED BY TELEMETRY
THAT IS DATA FROM THE TELESCOPE.
AND THEN THE OTHER TWO WINDOWS
ARE LIVE VIEWS OF THE MISSION
OPERATIONS CENTER.
>> AS THEY GET READY HERE I CAN
WATCH MY SCREEN AND SEE WHAT
STEP THEY'RE ON.
THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD THROUGH
THEIR TIMELINE.
AND HAIR GETTING READY TO DO A
COUPLE OF SET-UP STEPS WITH
THEIR MOTORS AND THEY'LL BE
MOVING ON TO DOING THEIR SMALL
MIRROR MOVE SO MAKE SURE THAT
THE DEPLOYMENT MOTOR JUST A FEW
DEGREES ACTUALLY 1.3 DEGREES OUT
TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING
LOOKS GOOD BEFORE THEY DO THE
FULL DEPLOYMENT.
>> AS WE'RE TALKING, YOU'LL
OCCASIONALLY SEE US PAUSE AS WE
LISTEN FOR COMMANDS.
BUT WHENEVER WE HAVE A FEW
MINUTES -- JULIE ONE OF THE
THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE
THERE ARE NO ACTUAL CAMERAS FOR
US TO SEE ON WEBB WHAT THE
TELESCOPE IS DOING.
AND THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT
WAS DELIBERATE.
IT WAS DEFINITELY THOUGHT ABOUT.
BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS
THAT MAKE THIS VERY DIFFICULT TO
ADD CRAMS ON THIS PARTICULAR
MISSION.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU LIKE TO GO
THROUGH SOME OF THAT.
I REMEMBER SOME OF THE REASONS
MYSELF.
>> YES.
SURE.
IN THIS DAY AND AGE,
EVERYTHING'S CAUGHT ON CAMERA.
BUT REALIZE THAT JAMES WEBB HAS
BEEN DESIGNED OVER MANY, MANY
YEARS.
WE DID LOOK AT THE POSSIBILITY
OF ADDING SOME CAMERAS THAT
WOULD GIVE US SOME VIEWS,
SIMILAR TO THE VISUALIZATION
TOOL, HOWEVER THE THING THAT THE
TOOL CAN DO FOR US IS AS YOU SEE
RIGHT NOW THE MIRRORS ARE BRIGHT
AND SHINY AS THOUGH THERE IS
LIGHT SHINNING ON IT BUT THE
REALITY OUT IN SPACE IT'S DARK.
IT WOULD BE LIKE WALK INTO A
DARK ROOM AND LOOKING AT THE
TELESCOPE.
IT WOULD BE DARK.
SO WE WOULD NEED SOME KIND OF
LIGHT SYSTEM ON A CAMERA SYSTEM.
WE WOULD HAVE PROBLEMS IF WE
WANTED DO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY
OBVIOUSLY OUR MIRROR IS VERY
SENSITIVE AND OPTICS INSIDE ARE
VERY SENSITIVE AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY OUR DETECTORS ALL
THE WAY DEEP INSIDE OUR
INSTRUMENTS WE LOOKED AT HOW
SENSITIVE THEY ARE TO SIMPLY
LIGHTS IN THE ROOM IF YOUR
FLORENCE ENCOUNTER BULBS IN THE
CLEAN ROOM OVER YEARS WOULD
DEGRADED OUR DETECTORS WE DON'T
WANT TO BE FLASHING THEM WITH A
FLASH FOR A CAMERA.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT AS YOU
CAN SEE IN OUR WHERE IS WEBB NOW
TOOL, WE'RE GETTING COLDER AND
COLDER, SO A CAMERA THAT YOU
WOULD GET THAT WOULD WORK AT
THOSE TEMPERATURES WOULD HAVE TO
BE ESPECIALLY DESIGNED.
PLASTICS FALL APART AND THEY
SHRINK AND CRACK.
GLUES DON'T HOLD TOGETHER.
TO MAKE SOMETHING THAT WOULD
WORK AT THE CRYOGENIC
TEMPERATURES WOULD TAKE A LOT OF
ENGINEERING AND DESIGN AND ONE
OTHER MAJOR ISSUE WE WOULD HAVE
TO RUN CABLES AND POWER OUT TO
THESE CAMERAS AND OUR POWER
BALANCE, ESPECIALLY ON THE COLD
SIDE OF THE TELESCOPE IS SO
DELICATE.
THOSE WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY HOT
OR HEAT LEEKS AND WE WOULD NOT
WANT TO PICK UP THE SIGNATURE
FROM THOSE CABLES INTO THE
TELESCOPE OPTICS ITSELF.
>> MOC: I CAN VERIFY COMPLETE
AND ALL LOADS EXECUTED
SUCCESSFULLY.
WE ARE GO TO PROCEED ON NOT TO
STEP 031 TO CONFIGURE TO OPERATE
FRAME 14.
YOU'RE FREE TO EXECUTE.
YOU'RE GO TO CONTINUE.
>> AND LAST OF ALL, IF THE
CAMERA DID FAIL WE DID NOT WANT
THE DEBRIS FROM THE CAMERA TO BE
MOVING AROUND THE TELESCOPE.
AND THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO THE
TELESCOPE.
THIS IS THE SIDE WE'RE WORKING
ON TODAY.
BUT FOR THE EARLIER DEPLOYMENTS
WE WOULD HAVE HAD CAMERAS
PREFERABLY ON THE HOT SIDE.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE VIDEO
WHERE THE OBSERVATORY IS MOVING
AWAY FROM THE UPPER STAGE OF THE
ROCKET WE'RE VERY SHINY --
>> MOC: I CAN VERIFY COMPLETE
AND IT'S IN OPERATE MODE.
STAND BY FOR DEP LEAD
VERIFICATION.
>> OC: COPY.
THE STANDING BY.
>> AND TO HAVE A CAMERA TO DO
ANYTHING USEFUL WITH THAT BRIGHT
OF A BACKGROUND WOULD BE VERY
DIFFICULT TOO.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT LIKE A HALL OF
MIRRORS WITH THE SHINY SURFACES.
WHAT WOULD YOU LOOK AT TO BE
ABLE TO DISTINGUISH WHAT'S GOING
ON.
SO FROM AN ENGINEERING
PERSPECTIVE WE DECIDED THIS OUR
TELEMETRY COMING DOWN WAS THE
MOST RELIABLE THING BE THAT WE
HAVE.
BUT WHEN WE DID SEE THE SOLAR
ARRAY DEPLOY FROM THE CAMERA
FROM THE UPPER STAGE, THAT WAS
REALLY QUITE AND SITING FOR US.
>> THIS WAS AMAZING.
WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE ON
THE SCREEN IS THE ACTUAL FOOTAGE
OF THE OBSERVATORY LEAVING THE
ARIAN 5 ROCKET.
AS JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE
THEY'RE FLYING OFF INDEPENDENTLY
INTO SPACE.
OUR LAST VIEW OF IT, ONE OF THE
THINGS WE WERE ABLE TO SEE WAS
THE SOLAR ARRAY DEPLOYING.
THAT WAS AMAZING.
I WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT.
THERE WAS SO MANY CHEERS AND
SMILES AS WE SAW THAT HEADING
OFF INTO SPACE.
WEBB IS GOING ABOUT A MILLION
MILES AWAY.
IT IS GOING TO BE AT A LAGRANGE
POINT.
IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO ACTUALLY
PARK A SPACE CRAFTED.
EVERYTHING KIND OF BALANCES AND
KEEPS THERE.
THE SOLAR ARRAY THAT YOU SEE
DEPLOYING RIGHT NOW IF YOU LOOK
AT WEBB YOU SEE IT DEPLOYING.
THAT WAS THE FIRST.
AND THAT ALLOWS IT TO POWER
ITSELF UP AND WE WITH ARE NOW
VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN THE REST
OF THE DEPLOYMENTS.
YESTERDAY WE HAD THE INCREDIBLE
FINALE OF THE GIANT SUNSCREEN
DEPLOYING AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING
AT THE SECONDARY MIRROR TO
DEPLOY.
THERE WILL BE DEPLOYMENTS AND
COMMISSIONING FOR QUITE A WHILE.
THE MAJOR ONES WILL BE COMPLETED
ALL ABOUT 29 DAYS AFTER LAUNCH.
NICE LITTLE DRAMATIC LENS FLAIR
FROM THE SUNLIGHT HITTING THE
BACK OF THE TELESCOPE AS IT GOES
OUT INTO SPACE.
>> THEY'RE DOING THEIR SMALL
MOVE.
WHICH I DON'T THINK WE'LL BE
ABLE TO DETECT ON THE
VISUALIZATION TOOL.
BUT THEY'RE WITNESSING FOR THE
CONFIRMATION FROM THE DEPLOYMENT
LEAD THAT THE MOVE HAS STOPPED.
>> AT THIS POINT ALL THE
LATCHING MECHANISMS HAVE BEEN
RELEASED SO THAT THE MIRROR HAS
BEEN RELEASED AND NOW WE'RE
WAITING FOR A SMALL MOVE TO
CHECK AND SEE THAT EVERYTHING'S
ALL RIGHT AND THEN LATER ON IN
THE BROADCAST THE DEPLOYMENT OF
THE SECONDARY MIRROR.
WE'LL BE WITH YOU THROUGH THE
DEPLOYMENT AND IS THEN ALSO
THROUGH THE LATCHING AS THE
SECONDARY MIRROR IS LATCHED
SOLIDLY INTO PLACE.
AND WE KNOW THAT THE SECONDARY
MIRROR HAS BEEN SUCCESS.
LY -- SUCCESSFULLY DEPLOYED.
WE EXPECT THE LATCHING TO TAKE
PLACE -- JULIE, DIRECT ME IF I'M
WRONG, BUT THAT WILL BE 45
MINUTES AFTER THE DEPLOYMENT OF
THE MIRROR THAT PROCESS WILL BE
COMPLETE?
>> YES.
THE LATCHING HAS A COUPLE OF
STEPS.
THEY MOVE THROUGH IT SLOWLY.
THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYTHING'S IN ITS PRECISE
POSITION SO THAT ONCE IT'S
LATCHED WE DO NOT COME BACK AND
EVER ADJUST THIS AGAIN.
OH, THEY MUST HAVE GOTTEN
CONFIRMATION THAT THE SMALL MOVE
WAS SUCCESSFUL.
I SEE CELEBRATION.
>> WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS
LIVE FOOTAGE AT THE MOC,
MISSIONS OPERATION CENTER AND
DEPLOYMENT OF THE SECONDARY
MIRROR OF THE JAMES IS WEB
TELESCOPE, AN ABSOLUTELY
ESSENTIAL COMPONENT.
>> MOC: THAT LEAD HAS CONFIRMED.
WE HAVE POSITIVE SEPARATION.
SO WE ARE GO TO PROCEED ONTO
STEP 037 TO STOP THE MOTOR.
>> OC: COPY THAT.
>> MOC: OC, YOU'RE GOOD TO
EXECUTE.
>> OC: EXECUTING.
>> MOC: YOU'RE GO TO CONTINUE.
>> OC: COPY GO TO CONTINUE.
>> YOU CAN HEAR THE EXCITEMENT
AND VOICES OF PEOPLE ON THE
FLOOR AS THEY'RE ANNOUNCING THE
SUCCESS OF THIS FIRST SMALL
MOVE.
BECAUSE THIS IS -- ONCE THE
SMALL MOVE IS SEEN TO BE
SUCCESSFUL --
>> MOC: THE DE-MOTOR HAS STOPPED
AND AT THIS TIME WE ARE GO TO
PROCEED ONTO STEP 038 TO CON
FORGETTER THE DEU TO STAND BY
MODE.
>> OC: COPY THAT.
>> MOC: OC, THE COMMAND LOOKS
GOOD AND YOU'RE GO TO EXECUTE.
>> OC: EXECUTING.
>> MOC: YOU ARE GO TO CONTINUE.
>> OC: COPY.
GO TO CONTINUE.
>> THEY'LL GO AHEAD AND GET
READY TO DO THE FULL DEPLOYMENT.
BUT THE SMALL MOVE GIVES THEM SO
MUCH CONFIDENCE IN THE MOTOR
DOING ITS JOB ON THE MECHANISMS
WORKING AND MOVING, JUST AS
EXPECTED.
SO, THEY'RE COMING INTO THIS
NEXT MAJOR DEPLOYMENT WITH A LOT
OF CONFIDENCE.
>> AS WE'RE SAYING THERE ARE NO
LIVE CAMERAS ON THE WEBB
TELESCOPE FOR MANY GOOD REASONS.
>> MOC: DEU IS IN STAND BY MODE.
AT THIS TIME WE ARE GO TO
PROCEED ONTO STEP 039 FOR THE
INTEGRAL GAINS THAT PERIMETER
UPDATE.
>> OC: COPY.
>> MOC: THAT LOOKS GOOD AND
YOU'RE GO TO EXECUTE.
>> OC: COPY.
EXECUTING.
PUSH
>> MOC: YOU CAN GO TO CONTINUE.
>> OC: COPY.
GO TO CONTINUE.
>> YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE LEFT
HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN IS THE
OBSERVATORY VISUALIZATION TOOL.
WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM SOCIAL
MEDIA.
THERE IS A DEVIL TWITCH THAT
SAYS WILL THIS OBSERVATORY
VISUALIZATION TOOL BE MADE
AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
AND JULIE, I BELIEVE THIS IS
SOMETHING PEOPLE CAN FOLLOW
ALONG WITH ON SOME OF THE
WEBSITES; IS THAT CORRECT?
>> I THINK PEOPLE ARE PUTTING
OUT INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE
AND I THINK YOU CAN GET
DIFFERENT UPDATES BUT I DON'T
THINK THE TOOL ITSELF IS
AVAILABLE.
>> RIGHT.
>> IF THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE
ASKING.
>> RIGHT.
>> YOU CAN GO TO THE WEBSITE
"WHERE IS WEBB" AND THERE IS A
LOT OF INFORMATION WHERE WEBB IS
A MILLION MILES AWAY FROM EARTH
AS WELL AS THE TEMPERATURE.
YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE IN REAL
TIME THE DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES
ON THE SUN SIDE OF THE TELESCOPE
AND THE COOL SIDE OF THE
TELESCOPE.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT
SENSITIVITY --
>> YEAH --
>> PLEASE GO AHEAD, JULIE.
>> WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE
DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES ON THE
COLD SIDE OF THE SUNSHIELD HERE
AND EVEN IN OUR VISUALIZATION
TOOL YOU CAN GET AN IDEA.
ANYTHING THAT'S DOWN CLOSE TO
THAT SUNSHIELD IS GOING TO RUN A
LITTLE BIT WARMER BECAUSE THERE
IS SOME HEAT THAT COMES THROUGH
AND THERE IS SOME HEAT THAT GETS
REFLECTED UP INTO IT.
THERE'S A HOLE THROUGH THE
CENTER OF THE SUNSHIELD THAT HAS
ALL THE STRUCTURE AND CABLE
RUNNING DOWN ON THE HOT SIDE OF
THE SPACECRAFT.
>> MOC: I CAN CONFIRM THE LOAD
WAS EXECUTED SUCCESSFULLY.
AT THIS TIME WE ARE GO TO
PROCEED ON 2 STEP 040 TO
CONFIGURE THE DEU TO OPERATE
FRAME 14 AND THAT COMMAND
WOLVERINES LOOKS GOOD AND WE ARE
GO TO EXECUTE.
>> COPY.
>> THEY'RE GETTING READY TO --
>> MOC: YOU'RE GO TO CONTINUE.
>> OC: COPY.
GO TO CONTINUE.
>> WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE
TEMPERATURES OF THE ITEMS CLOSER
TO THE SUNSHIELD BEING WARMER
THAN THE STUFF AWAY FROM THE
SUNSHIELD.
AS YOU CAN SEE THE SECONDARY
MIRROR ITSELF BEING PERCHED ON
TOP OF THE TELESCOPE AT THE
MOMENT IS ONE OF OUR COLDER
ITEMS.
EVEN WHEN IT GETS DEPLOYED OUT.
THERE'S A GREAT PICTURE.
YOU CAN SEE THE SECONDARY MIRROR
AT THE TOP OF YOUR SCREEN ON THE
DARK SIDE, ON THE COLD SIDE AND
IT DOES RUN -- IT DOES NOT HAVE
ITS OWN RADIATOR BUT IT RUNS
VERY COLD.
IT'S ONE OF THE COLDER ITEMS ON
THAT SIDE.
AND SUNSHIELD ITSELF IS
BASICALLY WHAT KEEPS IT COLD AND
THE FACT THAT IT DOESN'T
GENERATE ANY HEAT ITSELF.
HERE WE GO.
>> YOU THINK ABOUT THE --
>> HERE WE GO.
>> MOC: THAT LEAD HAS CONFIRMED.
WE ARE READY TO PROCEED WITH THE
SMSS DEPLOYED AND WE ARE GO TO
PROCEED ON STEP 042 OR THE SMSS
MOTOR MOVE.
>> OC: COPY.
>> YOU'RE LOOKING AT LIVE
COVERAGE OF THE ESSENTIAL
COMPONENTS OF THE JAMES WEBB
TELESCOPE.
>> MOC: YOU'RE GO TO CONTINUE.
>> OC: ROGER.
GO TO CONTINUE.
>> MOC: OC, STAND BY FOR
VERIFICATION.
>> OC: STANDING BY.
>> CAN YOU TELL US WHAT SMSS
MEANS THE ACRONYM WE'RE HEARING?
>> MOC: WE ARE GO TO MOVE THE
SMSS MOTOR.
>> THAT'S THE SECONDARY MIRROR
SUPPORT STRUCTURE AND IT'S A 4
BAR LINKAGE.
YOU'LL SEE IT UNFOLD HERE LOOKS
A LITTLE LIKE FROM A HIGH TECH
MOVIE.
BUT IT LITTLE MOVE IN A LINKAGE
ASSEMBLY OUT AND HOLD THE JOINT
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TOP LEG
INTO POSITION.
SO THERE'S HINGES AT THE BOTTOM
AND THERE'S A HINGE AT THE
MIRROR ON THE SHORT LEG AND THEN
THERE'S A HINGE IN THE CENTER OF
THE SHORTER LEG AND THEN A HINGE
AT THE TOP OF THE MIRROR AND THE
TWO SHORT LEGS FOLD INTO ONE
LONG LEG.
>> ONE COMING ATTRACTION FOR
THAT BROADCAST ONCE THEY EXTEND
A SECONDARY MIRROR THERE WILL BE
A 45 MINUTE PERIOD WHERE THEY
LATCH THE MIRROR AND MAKE SURE
IT'S SOLIDLY PUT TOGETHER.
DURING THAT 45 MINUTES, WE'LL BE
ABLE TO SHOW YOU SOME FOOTAGE OF
THE ACTUAL TESTING AND BUILDING
OF THE SECONDARY MIRROR.
IT'S SURPRISINGLY LARGE THAT
THOSE BOOMS THAT ARE EXTENDING
FROM IT.
JULIE, YOU MAY KNOW THIS
OFFHAND, WHEN THE BOOMS ARE
EXTENDED ABOUT HOW FAR AWAY IS
THE SECONDARY MIRROR FROM THE
PRIMARY MIRROR?
>> I SHOULD HAVE LOOKED THAT UP.
I DON'T KNOW.
>> ONE OF THE PRIVILEGES I HAD
WORKING AT GODDARD WAS WATCHING
TESTS LIKE THIS AND I DID SEE
THE SECONDARY MIRROR DEPLOYED
AND SEEMS LIKE IT WAS TWO
STORIES AWAY FROM THE PRIMARY
MIRROR.
AND IT'S A SPECTACULAR THING TO
SEE.
AND LIKE I SAID, AFTER WE HAVE
CONFIRMATION THAT THIS EVENT IS
CONCLUDED, WE'LL THEN BE
LATCHING AND WE'LL HAVE 45
MINUTES TO TALK MORE ABOUT IT.
>> THIS MOTOR MOVE TAKES ABOUT
11 MINUTES AND WE'LL GIVE
PERIODIC UPDATES.
>> YEAH, SO, HERE YOU CAN SEE
THE TELEMETRY COMING AT THE TOP
OF THE SCREEN THAT THE
VISUALIZATION TOOL IS USING TO
RECALCULATE THE POSITION OF THE
MECHANISM.
AND IT'S LITTLE HARD TO SEE WHAT
WITH THE BLACK BACKGROUND WITH
THE BLACK TUBES, BUT IF YOU LOOK
CAREFULLY YOU CAN START TO SEE
THE MECHANISMS START TO UNFOLD.
>> THIS IS TREMENDOUSLY EXCITING
TO ME.
AS OBSERVATORY IS ON ITS WAY TO
ITS RESTING POINT A MILLION
MILES AWAY, THIS HUGE SECONDARY
MIRROR CONFIGURATION IS NOW
DEPLOYING AND I CAN SEE THAT THE
BARS ARE CHANGING ON OUR
OBSERVATORY VISUALIZATION A TOOL
WHICH IS BASED ON REAL LIVE DATA
FROM THE OBSERVATORY.
AND THE SECONDARY MIRROR IS
DEPLOYING.
THIS PROCEDURE WILL TAKE ABOUT
11 MINUTES.
10 MINUTES FROM NOW WE SHOULD
SEE THE SECONDARY MIRROR ON OUR
VISUAL TOOL FULLY DEPLOYED.
LAST FEW DAYS HAVE SEEN SOME OF
THE MOST DRAMATIC DEPLOYMENTS
FROM THE WEBB OBSERVATORY.
YESTERDAY OF COURSE THE
SPECTACULAR FINALE OF DEPLOYING
THE GIANT HEAT SHIELD.
AND TODAY, THE SECONDARY MIRROR.
AS YOU CAN SEE THE SECONDARY
MIRROR IS MOVING AWAY FROM THE
PRIMARY MIRROR.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S A LITTLE BIT
DARK IN THE ANIMATION, BLACK
BARS ON THE BLACK BACKGROUND BUT
WE CAN SEE THE MOVEMENT AND THIS
IS BEGINNING.
>> SO THE MECHANISM THAT'S
ACTUALLY LIFTING AND ROTATING
THE PARTICULARS IS THE TOP OF
THE MIRROR THERE IS WHERE THE
MOTOR IS LOCATED THAT DOES THE
DEPLOYMENT.
WE HAVE A PHOTOGRAPH ON THE
SCREEN AS YOU CAN SEE IT'S A
BRIGHT SUNNY DAY IN BALTIMORE
WHICH MAKES IT A LITTLE HARD TO
SEE THE PEOPLE IN THE FLIGHT
CONTROL ROOM IN THE TOP BOX
THERE BUT GREAT TO HAVE GOOD
WEATHER WHILE WE'RE DOING THIS.
>> KARL STAR -- ALL HEAR THE
ACRONYM THE "MOM", MISSION
OPERATIONS MANAGER.
>> WE'RE ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH
THE DEPLOYMENT.
CURRENTS ARE LOOKING REALLY
GOOD.
LOWER THAN WHAT WE SAW ON THE
GROUND TESTING AND EVERYTHING'S
LOOKING NOMINAL.
SO WE'VE GOT ABOUT 5 MORE
MINUTES TO -- 5 OR 6 MINUTES TO
GET TO THE HARD STOP.
>> OC: THANK YOU.
>> NICE VIEW WHEN OUR
OBSERVATORY VISUALIZATION TOOL.
YOU SEE THE GIANT BOOM WITH THE
FOCUSSING PECULIAR 96 FOR THE
JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE.
PRIMARY MIRROR ARE THOSE COLD
SEGMENTS THAT YOU SEE.
THERE ARE 18 GOLD SEGMENTS.
AND AFTER WE HAVE CONFIRMATION
THAT THE MIRROR HAS BEEN
DEPLOYED, WE'LL LOOK AND FIND
HOW THOSE WILL BE FOCUSSED.
THAT WILL BE ANOTHER MAJOR
ACTIVITY FOR THE JAMES WEBB
TELESCOPE IN THE NEXT WEEKS.
THIS IS THE LARGEST AND MOST
SENSITIVE SPACE OBSERVATORY EVER
FLOWN AND HAD TO BE ACTUALLY
FOLDED UP TO FIT INSIDE OF A
ROCKET.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS
HISTORIC.
WE'VE NOT DONE THIS BEFORE.
WHERE THINGS NEED TO BE UNFOLDED
TO THIS EXTENT SO THIS IS THE
VERY DRAMATIC AND PEOPLE ALL
OVER THE WORLD SO HAPPY THAT
THINGS SO FAR ARE GOING WELL AND
WISHING FOR A SUCCESSFUL
DEPLOYMENT.
I KNOW THAT I HAVE FRIENDS OF
MINE WHO WORKED ON THE WEBB
TELESCOPE SINCE 1995.
BUT THIS IS MANY, MANY DECADES
OF PEOPLE'S WORK AND LIFE ALL
HAPPENING RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU
LIVE AS WE WATCH THAT SECONDARY
MIRROR DEPLOY.
>> SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE
UNIQUE ABOUT THIS IS THE
OPERATION OF THESE JOINTS IN
SPACE AND AT SUCH A COLD
TEMPERATURE.
WE DO HAVE A FEW HEATERS THAT WE
WARM UP THE MOTORS AND SOME OF
THE MECHANISM COMPONENTS, BUT
FOR THE MOST PART THE JOINTS
HAVE TO WORK IN THE COLD
ENVIRONMENT OF SPACE.
WHICH TAKES SPECIAL DESIGN,
SPECIAL COATINGS AND THEY ALSO
ARE QUITE CLOSE TO OUR MIRRORS
SO WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT
CONTAMINATION.
>> TO DO THIS DEPLOYMENT IN ZERO
GRAVITY.
EVERY OTHER TIME WE'VE DONE IT
IN A CLEAN ROOM, WE'VE HAD TO
HAVE GRAVITY CONSIDERATIONS.
SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME DOING
IT IN ZERO GRAVITY.
>> WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT
YESTERDAY WITH THE NON EXPLOSIVE
ACTUATORS.
ALL THESE LITTLE PINS THAT THEY
NEED TO UNFOLD TO DIFFERENT
PARTS OF THE TELESCOPE.
THOSE ARE ALL TESTED ON THE
EARTH WHERE YOU'RE NOT IN ZERO
GRAVITY.
JULIE, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU,
BUT EVERY TIME I SEE THAT MIRROR
MOVE FARTHER IN OUR
VISUALIZATION TOOL I'M GETTING
MORE AND MORE EXCITED.
MY HEART IS STARTING TO BEAT
FASTER AND FASTER.
FOR ME THIS IS A TREMENDOUS
AMOUNT OF JOY.
I HAVE THIS SMILE FROM EAR TO
EAR RIGHT NOW AS I SEE THIS
ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL COMPONENT
OF THE JAMES WEBB OBSERVATORY,
THE SECONDARY MIRROR, THE
FOCUSSING MECHANISM DEPLOY.
>> YES.
WITHOUT THIS MIRROR IN ITS RIGHT
POSITION WE DO NOT GET LIGHT
INTO THE TELESCOPE.
>> ALL OF THOSE ACTUATORS AND
PINS THAT NEEDED TO RELEASE IN
ORDER TO UNFOLD THIS, CAN YOU
GIVE ME AN IDEA -- I BELIEVE
THERE'S OVER -- ARE THERE OVER
300 OF THEM?
>> YEAH.
THERE'S DIFFERENT KINDS AND
DIFFERENT TYPES AROUND.
SO EVERY TIME YOU READ SOMETHING
THAT WILL TELL YOU A SLIGHTLY
DIFFERENT NUMBER BUT IT DEPENDS
ON WHAT CATEGORY THEY COUNT THEM
IN.
FOR THIS WHAT WE WATCH TODAY
THERE WAS THREE DIFFERENT ONES
THAT WE RELEASED.
SO THERE'S SO MUCH OF THAT NOW
BEHIND US.
THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK OVER THE
YEARS TO MAKE SURE THESE DEVICES
WORKED AND THEN ALL THE
DIFFERENT CONFIGURATIONS THAT WE
NEEDED THEM IN AND THE DIFFERENT
SIZES TO MAKE SURE THEY ALL
WORKED AND ALL WORKED RELIABLY.
THEY'RE VERY SENSITIVE TO HOW
THEY'RE WRAPPED AND HOW THEY'RE
HANDLED.
YOU GET ONE CHANCE TO DO IT
RIGHT AND IF YOU TEST AND IT
WORKS THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU GOT
THE NEXT ONE RIGHT.
YOU HAVE TO PACKAGE EACH ONE
PERFECTLY.
WE'RE COMING CLOSE TO BEING
FULLY DEPLOYED.
AS YOU CAN SEE THE TOP OF THE
MECHANISM, THE TWO BARS THERE
COMING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO
THEIR FINAL POSITION OF BEING IN
WOLVERINES WITH EACH OTHER.
YOU CAN -- FROM THIS ORIENTATION
YOU CAN NOW SEE THAT THE MIRROR
SIDE OF THE SECONDARY HAS THE
GOLD COATING ON IT TOO, THE
VISUALIZATION TOOL.
>> WELL THE WEBB OBSERVATORY IS
A VERY LARGE MIRROR.
IT'S A TINY AMOUNT OF GOLD.
I BELIEVE IT'S JUST A COUPLE
GOLD RINGS WORTH OF GOLD ACROSS
THE WHOLE THING A COUPLE ATOMS
THICK.
GOLD IS CHOSEN BECAUSE IT'S
WONDERFULLY REFLECTIVE IN THE
INFRARED.
THIS IS HEAT SENSED AND IS GOLD
IS STABLE AND DOESN'T REACT
CHEMICALLY UNLIKE SILVER.
SO GOOD TO USE WHEN NO ONE CAN
GO OUT THERE TO CLEAN THE
MIRRORS.
IT'S ALL ON ITS OWN.
>> SO AS THE MECHANISM CONTINUES
TO UNFOLD HERE, THE MOTOR WILL
DRIVE IT INTO A HARD STOP.
FROM THAT, THEN THEY'LL START
WORKING ON THE LATCHING
PROCEDURE.
>> SO WE'LL FIRST WAIT FOR
CONFIRMATION THAT THE MIRROR IS
FULLY DEPLOYED AND AFTER THEY GO
THROUGH THE LATCHING PROCEDURE
WE'LL HAVE TIME TO TALK TO OUR
HOST ABOUT THE TESTING AND THE
BUILDING OF THE SECONDARY.
WE ALREADY HAVE A LOT OF
QUESTIONS COMING IN TO SOCIAL
MEDIA AND WE SHOULD HAVE TIME TO
GET TO SOME OF THEM.
IF YOU LIKE TO HAVE YOUR
QUESTION ANSWERS #ASKNASA.
>> WE'LL MOVE INTO CAPTURING THE
LATCHES AND THEN RECENTERING.
>> ALL RIGHT.
AS YOU HEARD, THAT WENT
COMPLETELY INTO THE HARD STOP.
WILL TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME
TO TAKE A LOOK AT THEIR
TELEMETRY.
AND PUT THE MOTOR INTO A STAND
BY MODE AND MOVE INTO THE
LATCHING SEQUENCES.
>> AT THIS POINT THE MIRROR --
>> I'M SORRY.
IT WILL KEEP THE TENSION ON THE
MOTOR AT THIS POINT WHILE THEY
DO THE LATCHING.
>> AT THIS POINT THE MIRROR
MECHANISM HAS BEEN FULLY
DEPLOYED; IS THAT CORRECT?
IS>> YEAH.
IT'S FULLY DEPLOYED AND THE
MOTOR IS CLOSING.
THEY'RE DOING A HARD STOP WHILE
THEY DO THE LATCH.
>> MOC: WE ARE READY TO PROCEED
WITH THE ADU LATCH MOVE AND WE
ARE GO TO PROCEED TO STEP 044
AND SES 256.
>> OC: COPY THAT.
>> MOC: THAT LOOKS GOOD.
YOU'RE GO TO EXECUTE.
>> OC: COPY.
EXECUTING.
>> YOU HEARD THE TERM ADU THAT
THE MOTOR THAT DRIVES THE
ACTUATOR.
>> MOC: ACTIVATE SES 256.
>> OC: COPY.
ACTIVATING 256.
>> THANK YOU AGAIN FOR JOINING
US.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE LIVE
COVERAGE OF THE COMMISSIONING OF
THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE.
THE MAIN TASK IS DEPLOYING AND
NOW LATCHING THE SECONDARY
MIRROR ASSEMBLY.
AND THAT IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL
FOR THE TELESCOPE TO OPERATE AND
TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS LIGHT ONTO
ITS GIGANTIC PRIMARY MIRROR.
YOU'RE SEEING A VISUALIZATION
PRODUCED BY REAL TIME DATA AND
LIVE FOOTAGE FROM THE MISSION
CONTROL OF THE MOC, MISSION
OPERATIONS CENTER.
>> VERIFY WE'RE COMPLETE AND 256
IS ENABLED AND ACTIVATED.
>> OC: COPY.
>> THE LATCHING THAT'S GOING TO
COME UP --
>> I HAVE CONFIRMED WE ARE READY
TO PERFORM THE FIRST LATCH MOVE.
AT THIS TIME WE'RE GO TO PROCEED
ON STEP 046.
LATCH OFF ONE OF THREE.
>> OC: COPY THAT.
>> MOC: OC, THAT LOOKS GOOD.
YOU ARE GO TO EXECUTE.
>> OC: ROGER.
EXECUTING.
>> MOC: OC, YOU'RE GO TO
CONTINUE.
>> OC: COPY.
GO TO CONTINUE.
>> LATCHES ON THIS THAT THEY'RE
DISCUSSING NOW, IS A HOOK LATCH
LIKE YOU WOULD HAVE ON POSSIBLY
A BATHROOM DOOR BUT OBVIOUSLY
VERY HIGHLY SPECIALIZED FOR THIS
OPERATION, AND THE MOTOR WILL
COME IN AND PUT THAT LATCH ON
TOP OF A HARD STOP AND THEN THE
MOTOR WILL COOL DOWN TO PRE LOAD
INTO THE CENTRAL AND DEPLOYMENT
MOTOR WILL RELEASE TO A HARD
STOP.
>> AS WE LOOK AT THE LIVE
COVERAGE OF THIS EVENT, WE ARE
GOING TO OCCASIONALLY STOP
CONVERSATION TO LISTEN TO
COMMENTS FROM THE MIX OPERATION
CENTER.
BUT AS WE ARE NOW AWAITING THE
LATCH PROCEDURE WHICH WILL TAKE
ABOUT 45 MINUTES WE'RE TOLD, WE
HAVE A TIME TO LOOK AT SOME OF
THE ACTUAL INSTRUMENTATION AS IT
WAS BUILT AND TESTED AT GODDARD
SPACEFLIGHT CENTER.
I BELIEVE WE'LL BE LOOKING AT
SOME FOOTAGE OF THE DELIVERY OF
THE SECONDARY MIRROR SUPPORT
STRUCTURE AND HERE WE HAVE THE
SECONDARY MIRROR.
CAN YOU TELL US WHAT WE'RE
LOOKING AT AND THIS FOOTAGE WE
HAVE?
>> SURE.
AS YOU CAN KIND OF SEE HERE,
THAT SILVER STAINLESS PIECE IS A
COVER AND THEN THE MIRROR ITSELF
IS ON A DOLLY WITH WHEELS.
AND WE HAVE ENGINEERS AND
TECHNICIANS IN WHAT WE CALL
LOVINGLY AS BUNNY SUITS IN THE
CLEAN ROOM, AND IS I BELIEVE
THIS IS AT GODDARD SPACEFLIGHT
CENTER DOING THE INITIAL
INSPECTION AS THEY OPEN UP THE
SHIPPING CONTAINER OF THE
MIRROR.
HERE IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE THE
MIRROR UP ON THE CRANE TO MOVE
IT INTO POSITION WHENEVER WE'LL
DO THE INSTALLATION AND HERE'S
THE PEOPLE AT GODDARD WATCHING
FROM THE OBSERVATORY AREA AS THE
WHOLE ASSEMBLY TAKES PLACE.
THIS IS THE STRUCTURE WE ARE
JUST SEEING DEPLOYED.
YOU CAN SEE ACROSS THE MIDDLE OF
YOUR SCREEN, THE BIG BOOMS AND
THIS GIVES YOU A PERSPECTIVE HOW
LARGE IN DIAMETER THOSE BOOMS
ARE.
THEY'RE QUITE SUBSTANTIAL.
THEY LOOK SO SMALL IN RELATIVE
TO THE TELESCOPE.
BUT HERE YOU CAN SEE AS WE
DEPLOY IT, HERE WE DO IT IN A
HORIZONTAL ORIENTATION CAN
THEY'RE WHITE THERE BECAUSE THEY
HAVE PLASTIC PROTECTIVE COATING
ON IT.
KIND HAVE LIKE YOU WOULD GET
SOMETHING SHIPPED IN THE MAIL
THAT'S WRAPPED IN PLASTIC BUBBLE
WRAP.
AND SO, YOU SAY TWO PICTURES
OF -- OR ACTUALLY 3 DIFFERENT
VIDEOS OF IT BEING DEPLOYED.
ONE WAS AS IT WAS BEING
ASSEMBLED AT GODDARD IN THE
CLEAN ROOM AND THAT'S ALMOST
DONE IN A VERTICAL ORIENTATION
AND THE OTHER TWO WERE DONE IN A
HORIZONTAL.
ONE DONE IN A VERTICAL
ORIENTATION YOU CAN SEE FROM THE
TOP OF THE PICTURE THE LITTLE --
YOU CAN SEE IT OFF LOADING AND
HORIZONTAL ORIENTATION THE
GRAVITY OFF LOADING IS
DIFFERENT.
BUT TESTING IT IN THE DIFFERENT
ORIENTATIONS HOW WE ACCOUNT FOR
DRAG.
>> MOC: THIS MOTOR MOVE HAS
COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY AND
CONFIRMED WE ARE GO TO PROCEED
WITH THE LATCH TO SAFE.
>> OC: COPY.
>>
>> MOC: THAT LOOKS GOOD AND YOU
ARE GO TO EXECUTE.
>> OC: ROGER.
EXECUTING.
>> MOC: OC, YOU ARE GO TO
CONTINUE.
>> OC: GO TO CONTINUE.
>> WE HAD A QUESTION FROM DARREN
ON TWITTER.
IF THE SECONDARY MIRROR IS
COATED IN GOLD AS PRIMARY.
YES, THEY ARE.
BECAUSE THEY HAVE THAT
WONDERFULLY REFLECTIVE PROPERTY.
SO JULIE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW IS
LATCHING.
NOW THAT THE SECONDARY MIRROR
HAS BEEN FULLY EXTENDED THEY'RE
LATCHING IT INTO PLACE.
I BELIEVE IT HAS AN ANIMATION
ABOUT THE LATCHING AND WHAT'S
GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
SO THERE WE GO.
WE COULD TALK ABOUT THIS
ANIMATION.
>> SURE.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE BOTTOM TWO
BOOMS ARE FIX AND TOP ONE HAS A
JOINT IN THE CENTER THEY DON'T
HAVE THE DETAILS OF THE LATCH
ITSELF AND BURIED IN THAT
STRUCTURE BUT RIGHT IN THERE
THERE'S A HOOK LATCH THAT COMES
OVER TO ESSENTIALLY HARD STOP
AND THEN IT CAN PULL ON THAT
HARD STOP ALMOST LIKE A TIE DOWN
TYPE LATCH.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT TESTING
AND HOW THIS -- IT HAS TO
FUNCTION IN ZERO GRAVITY WHEN
BEFORE IT HAD TO BE TESTED ON
EARTH AND WE HAD A QUESTION FROM
SOMEBODY CALLED POCKET MOON ON
TWITTER.
HOW MUCH DO ENGINEERS HAVE TO
ACCOUNT FOR OPERATING ZERO G TO
1G.
HOW WAS IT THAT YOU HAD
CONFIDENCE THIS WORKS IN ZERO
GRAVITY WHEN WE CAN ONLY TEST IT
IN GRAVITY?
>> THE NICE THING ABOUT GRAVITY
IS IT'S IN ONE ORIENTATION.
SO IF YOU WANT TO ACCOUNT FOR IT
YOU CAN KIND OF DO THINGS IN
MULTIPLE ORIENTATIONS AND TAKE
THE AVERAGE AND FIGURE OUT HOW
TO SUBTRACT IT OUT.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE WE DID TESTS
IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AND WE
DID TESTING TO THE LEFT AND
RIGHT AND UP RIGHT.
AND WE FIGURE OUT WHAT IS
HAPPENING AND HOW EXACTLY
GRAVITY IMPACTS AND TAKE THAT
INTO ACCOUNT.
SAME THING WITH THERMAL.
THERE'S A LOT OF THERMAL
IMPACTS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
TESTING IT AS YOU CAN SEE RIGHT
THERE IN THE CLEAN ROOM.
BUT IN SPACE WE'LL BE MUCH, MUCH
COLDER.
WE DID A LOT OF MEASUREMENTS
BOTH AT AMBIENT AND CRYO HE
GENIC TEMPERATURES TO MAKE SURE
WHEN WE ACCOUNT FOR THOSE
TOGETHER WE WIND UP IN THE RIGHT
SPOT.
>> THAT'S THE AMAZING THING TO
THINK ABOUT.
THIS TELESCOPE'S OPERATING
TEMPERATURE IS NEARLY 400
DEGREES BELOW ZERO FAHRENHEIT.
I'M SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE
FAMILIAR A LITTLE IN THEIR DAILY
LIVES AND CAN CHANGE PROPERTIES
WHEN THEY'RE VERY COLD OR WARM.
THE MIRROR ITSELF IS ACTUALLY
NOT THE CORRECT CURVATURE.
EACH MIRROR SEGMENT THE UNTIL WE
COME DOWN TO THE OPERATING
TEMPERATURE OF THE TELESCOPE.
THIS IS SOMETHING FROM THE VERY
MOMENT IT WAS DESIGNED WE KNEW
BUILDING IT AND TESTING ON EARTH
WE HAD TO BE VERY CAREFUL TO
MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING WORKED
IN ITS REAL ENVIRONMENT IN
SPACE.
THIS IS ESSENTIAL THE EXTENSION
OF THIS FOCUSSING MIRROR.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE ANIMATION IF
YOU COULD TALK ABOUT IT.
>> HERE YOU CAN SEE A RATHER
LARGE BEAM OF LIGHT COMING
THROUGH SPACE AND IT'S THE
PRIMARY MIRROR AND REFLECTS OFF
THAT.
PRIMARILY THE MIRROR ESIS
CONCAVED AND REFLECTS BACK AND
IF YOU RUN THAT AGAIN YOU'LL SEE
THAT THE BEAM IS SHAPED AND
REFLECTS BACK TO THE SECONDARY
WHICH IS CONVEXED AND PUSHES IT
DOWN THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE
TELESCOPE AND THAT IS CALLED OUR
EFFORT OPTICS AND IT LOOKS LIKE
A LITTLE NOSE OUT IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE TELESCOPE AND IT HAS A
COUPLE MORE OPTICAL FEATURES.
YOU CAN ALMOST SEE A REIMAGE OF
WHAT THE TELESCOPE PUPIL LOOKS
LIKE ON THAT.
THE PUPIL IS OUTSIDE OF THE
TELESCOPE.
THE MIRROR HAS THE SAME PATTERN
ON IT.
IT COMES BACK AND HITS A
TERTIARY MIRROR AND REFLECTS IT
BACK BEHIND THE CAMERAS OF THE
TELESCOPE ITSELF.
>> THE INSTRUMENT PACKAGE IS ALL
BEHIND THE PRIMARY MIRROR AND
THIS WILL ALLOW THE LIGHT TO
ACTUALLY GO INTO THE TELESCOPE.
>> YES.
SO, JUST LIKE YOUR TELESCOPE ON
THE GROUND, THERE'S ESSENTIALLY
SOMEHOW TO CAPTURE THE LIGHT
SINCE WE DON'T GO UP THERE AND
LOOK THROUGH THE TELESCOPE
OURSELVES WE NEED TO HAVE
CAMERAS BEHIND THE TELESCOPE
WHICH TAKE ALL THE IMAGES FOR
US.
THE SO WHAT HAPPENS BEHIND THAT
IS THE LIGHT BEAM GETS
DISTRIBUTED BETWEEN THE 4
DIFFERENT INSTRUMENTS SO EACH
INSTRUMENT GETS A PORTION OF
THAT BEAM AND THEN USES THEIR
OWN INTERNAL OPTICS TO SHAPE AND
CONTROL THAT BEAM AND FILTER
THAT BEAM IN DIFFERENT WAYS
BEFORE IT HITS THE DETECTOR OF
THOSE INSTRUMENTS WHICH THEN THE
SCIENCE DATA COMES DOWN TO YOU.
OH, HERE'S ONE OF OUR
INSTRUMENTS AND YOU CAN KIND OF
SEE IT'S ON SOME SPINDLY LEGS,
IT'S PUTTING ITSELF OUT TO THE
LEFT AND RIGHT IS THE LEGS AND
HERE'S THE BEAM OF LIGHT THAT
COMES IN AND IS FOLDED INTO THE
INSTRUMENT AND THEN IT IS FOLDED
AGAIN AND ONCE AGAIN IT IS
FOLDED.
THIS IS OUR NIRSPEC AND THEN
COMES THROUGH A WALL AND NOW
INTO THE OPTICS AND INTO THE
CAMERA INTO THE BACK.
YOU CAN SEE THE FILTER WHEEL
SPINNING THERE.
>> THESE ARE DIFFERENT
INSTRUMENTS THAT ARE IN THE
INSTRUMENT PACKAGE, SOME OF THE
MOST --
>> IS OKAY, THIS IS VERY SIMILAR
IN ITS 4 OPTICS THERE.
>> WHICH IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION
FROM SALLY SPARKS ON TWITTER.
HOW ARE THE STEPS VERIFIED?
WE'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THE MOC
DAY, THE MISSIONS OPERATION
CENTER AND SO THIS IS VERIFIED
AND THE ENGINES ARE.
HOW ARE WE GETTING THAT
INFORMATION?
>> SO, WE GET TELEMETRY WHERE WE
HAVE ON THE TELESCOPE IS ON A
WHOLE SERIES OF SENSORS OF
DIFFERENT KINDS.
WE HAVE SENSORS THAT ARE
POSITIONED SENSORS AND SENSORS
THAT ARE CURRENT SENSORS AND
SENSORS THAT ARE TEMPERATURE
SENSORS AND ALL THAT TELEMETRY
GETS FED IN THROUGH THE
COMPUTERS AND THEN BROUGHT DOWN
THROUGH THE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
AND TO A GROUND STATION.
GETS SENT OVER TO OUR OPERATION
CENTER HERE IN BALTIMORE, AND
COMES OUT ON OUR COMPUTER
SCREENS.
AND IF YOU REMEMBER LOOKING AT
THE MOC, A LOT OF THOSE SCREENS
ARE 4 SCREENS THERE AND THERE'S
ALL DIFFERENT INFORMATION --
EACH OF THOSE ENGINEERS ARE
LOOKING AT A DIFFERENT ASPECT
WHAT'S GOING ON SO EACH HAVE
DIFFERENT PIECES OF INFORMATION
AND TELEMETRY COMING UP THEY'RE
CHECKING OUT AND THEY CAN TAKE A
LOOK AT IT.
THE FULL INSTALLATION OF THE
GIANT HEAT SHIELD AND TODAY WE
HAVE THE FOCUSSING MECHANISM AND
SECONDARY MIRROR.
SECONDARY MIRROR HAS BEEN FULLY
DEPLOYED AND AT THIS POINT THEY
ARE NOW LATCHING IT.
SO, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION
FROM MANUEL ON TWITTER THAT SAYS
WHY IS WEBB BUILT TO SEE IN
SPECIFIC AND LONGER WAIVE
LENGTHS THAN HUBBLE AND WHY
DIDN'T YOU MOUNT SHORTER ONES
LIKE UV.
THIS MAY GIVE ME A CHANCE TO
TALK ABOUT THE SCIENCE BEHIND
IT.
TO ANSWER THE QUESTION,
DIFFERENT WAIVE LENGTHS OF LIGHT
REQUIRE VERY DIFFERENT
OBSERVATORIES, BASICALLY NO WAY
TO BUILD ONE TELESCOPE THAT CAN
CAPTURE ALL THE WAIVE LENGTHS OF
LIGHT.
INFRARED LIGHT COLOR OF LIGHT
THAT IS A BIT REDDER THAN OUR
EYES DETECT.
YOU SEE THERE IS AN AREA OF THIS
THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM.
IT'S A NAME FOR ALL THE
DIFFERENT FORMS THAT LIGHT
TAKES.
AND OUR EYES ARE SENSITIVE TO A
SMALL RANGE OF THAT.
WHICH WE CALL RATHER OBVIOUSLY
THE VISIBLE LIGHT.
THERE ARE HIGHER ENERGY FORMS OF
LIGHT THAT ARE BASICALLY TOO
BLUE TO HIGH ENERGY.
UV, GAMMA AND X-RAYS AND NASA
DOES OPERATE TELESCOPES THAT SEE
THESE BUT YOU NEED DIFFERENT
KINDS OF INSTRUMENTS AND
DIFFERENT KINDS OF MIRRORS.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE THE CHANDRA
X-RAY OBSERVATORY.
THEY'RE HIGH ENERGY AND AS YOU
KNOW FROM DOCTORS OFFICES THEY
GO RIGHT THROUGH YOUR BODY AND
X-RAYS OF COURSE WILL GO RIGHT
THROUGH MOST DETECTORS AND
MIRRORS.
YOU NEED SPECIALIZED DETECTORS.
INFRARED LIGHT IS LOWER ENERGY
LIGHT.
WE OFTEN EXPERIENCE AS HUMANS AS
A FORM OF HEAT LIGHT.
INFRARED RADIATION AND LIGHT.
THE REASON WE SORT OF ASSOCIATED
IT WITH HEAT IS THAT OBJECTS
THAT ARE THE TEMPERATURE OF THE
HUMAN BODY AND THE TEMPERATURE
OF A PLANET LIKE EARTH, THEY
NATURALLY GLOW IN THESE LOWER
ENERGY TYPES OF LIGHT.
SO, THE SUN IS SO HOT, SURFACE
TEMPERATURE OF THE SUN IS 10,000
DEGREES.
HOT ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY GLOW.
AND THAT PRODUCES VISIBLE LIGHT.
BUT OBJECTS THAT ARE JUST WARM,
REALLY HAVE ANY TEMPERATURE AT
ALL, THEY ARE GLOWING 234
INFRARED LIGHT.
AND WE HAD MANY SUCCESSFUL
INFRARED TELESCOPES.
HUBBLE DID A LITTLE BIT.
AND WE SEE AN IMAGE NOT TAKEN BY
HUBBLE OF THE PILLARS EVER
CREATION.
THESE ARE DUST CLOUDS THAT ARE
MANY HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF
MILES ACROSS AND THEY ARE
FORMING NEW STARS AND SOLAR
SYSTEMS INSIDE THEM.
AND YOU SEE HERE THE OPTICAL
LIGHT.
BUT IF WE SWITCH TO INFRARED
LIGHT, HUBBLE HAD AN INSTRUMENT
THAT SAW INTO THE INFRARED.
THESE ARE BOTH REAL DATA.
BUT THIS ONE IS EYES DO NOT SEE.
THE INFORMATION HAS BEEN
TRANSLATED INTO COLORS AND WE
MAKE THIS IMAGE WITH.
ABOUT YOU ALL THOSE STARS YOU
SEE IN THIS IMAGE WERE REALLY
THERE IN THE VISIBLE LIGHT IMAGE
AND NOT VISIBLE IN THE KIND OF
LIGHT THAT OUR EYES SEE.
INFRARED HAS THE ABILITY TO PASS
THROUGH DUST AND A LOT OF
OBSCURING MATERIAL AND REALLY
FASCINATING THINGS THAT HAPPENED
INSIDE THESE GIANT DUST CLOUDS.
WE MENTION THE FORMATION OF
STARS AND PLANETS AND THIS IS
ONE OF THE MOST ACTIVE REGIONS
OF STAR FORMATION IN OUR PART OF
THE GALAXY.
THIS IS THE ORION NEBULA.
IT'S VISIBLE BELOW THE BELT OF
ORION IN THE SWORD OF ORION.
THERE ARE THREE STARS THAT HANG
DOWN FROM THE BELT AND THIS IS
MIDDLE QUOTE, UNQUOTE STAR.
IT'S A COLLECTION OF MANY
HUNDREDS OF STARS THAT ARE
FORMING INSIDE A VAST CLOUD OF
DUST AND GAS.
WHILE WE CAN SEE INSIDE WHERE
THE ORION NEBULA IS VISIBLE AND
IT'S A MUCH LARGER COMPLEX.
WE CAN SEE THROUGH THAT.
WE MENTIONED THE MIRI INSTRUMENT
AND SPECTROSCOPES -- WHAT A
SPECTROGRAPH DOES, IT PASSES
LIGHT THROUGH A PRISM AND
BRACKET UP INTO THE COMPONENTS
OF THE RAINBOW.
WE CAN TELL EXCITING THINGS FROM
MEASURING CAREFULLY HOW MUCH
COLOR COMES THROUGH -- HOW MUCH
LIGHT COMES IN EACH COLOR OF THE
RAINBOW.
THAT'S CALLED SPECTROSCOPY.
IT ALLOWS YOU TO DO THINGS LIKE
WHAT THEY'RE MADE OF.
SO HERE WE SEE A BEAM OF LIGHT
THAT'S BEING PASSED THROUGH A
PRISM ON A TELESCOPE AND USUALLY
A GRADING THAT DOES THE SAME
THING.
IT SPREADS IT INTO A RAINBOW AND
THE GRAPH SHOWS YOU HOW MUCH
LIGHT IS COMING IN DIFFERENT
COLORS.
WHEREVER YOU SEE THIS KIND OF
SQUIGGLY WOLVERINES GO DOWN THAT
MEANS LESS LIGHT.
THE REASON THAT'S INTERESTING IS
THAT EVERY CHEMICAL IN THE
UNIVERSE BASICALLY EVERY AT TOM
AND EVERY MOLECULE HAS A
FINGERPRINT OF LIGHT OF THAT
SPECIFIC MONTHLY YOU'LL ABSORBS
AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE ABLE TO
TELL YOU WHAT STARS ARE MADE OF
AND WHAT PLANETS AROUND OTHER
STARS, WHAT THEIR COMPETITION OF
THEIR ATMOSPHERES MAY BE.
THIS IS ONE OF THE BIG DEALS AND
MAJOR GOALS IS TO SEE DO PLANETS
AROUND OTHER STARS HAVE
ENVIRONMENTS LIKE THE EARTH?
LIKE WATER VAPOR AND CARBON
DIOXIDE AND OXYGEN.
IT WILL MOVE IN FRONT OF THE
STAR AND THE STARLIGHT BEHIND IT
WILL PASS THROUGH THE ATMOSPHERE
OF THAT PLANET.
AS THAT DOES, DIFFERENT
OPPONENTS WILL BE ABSORBED.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO SAY, ALL RIGHT,
THERE IS A PLANET GOING AROUND
THAT STAR IN THE SKY THAT HAS AN
ATMOSPHERE VERY MUCH LIKE THE
EARTH.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE SIGNALS
THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
ANOTHER REASON INFRARED IS SO
IMPORTANT, SOME OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT SIGNALS TAKES PLACE IN
THE INFRARED.
IF YOU LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS
WATER VAPOR OR OXYGEN.
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME
IDEA OF THE TEMPERATURE OF THE
ATMOSPHERE AND MAYBE THE DENSITY
OF THE ATMOSPHERE.
AND SO, THE HOPE IS THAT ONCE
WEBB IS OPERATIONAL AND LOOKING
AT EXOPLANETS AND PLANETS AROUND
OTHER STARS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO
SAY THAT HAS AN ATMOSPHERE LIKE
THE EARTH.
PERHAPS MIGHT HAVE BIOMARKERS
THE SIGNALS OF VEGETATION THAT'S
LESS LIKELY.
THE FIRST THING WE'RE LOOKING
FOR IS FIND THE IS ATMOSPHERES
LIKE THE EARTH.
THESE ARE ANIMATIONS AND
SCIENTIFIC VISUALIZATIONS.
EXOPLANETS ARE SO FAR AWAY WE
CAN'T SEE WHETHER THEY HAVE
OCEANS OR ATMOSPHERES.
TRAPPIST-1 IS A STAR WE'LL BE
LOOKING AT WITH THE JAMES WEBB
TELESCOPE.
WE KNOW IT HAS AT LEAST 7
PLANETS, OF THOSE 7 EARTH-SIZED
PLANETS ARE SEVERAL OF THEM
ABOUT THE RIGHT DISTANCE FROM
THE STAR TO HAVE TEMPERATURES
SIMILAR TO THE EARTH.
SO THAT'S ALL WE KNOW RIGHT NOW.
WE KNOW THE ROUGH SIZE OF THESE
PLANETS AND WE KNOW THEY'RE
DENSE AND LOTS OF PLANETS LIKE
THE EARTH AND MARS AND VENUS AND
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION
WHAT THEY'RE ATMOSPHERES ARE
LIKE.
HOPEFULLY THAT WILL CHANGE WHEN
THE WEBB TELESCOPE CAN SEND US
BACK INFORMATION.
THAT'S ONE OF THE MAJOR
ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE WEBB
TELESCOPE.
YOU SEE HERE SOME OF THE
EXOPLANETS.
AGAIN BY OUR SCIENCE
VISUALIZERS -- WE DON'T HAVE
THIS DATA YET -- BUT HOPEFULLY
IN THE NEXT DECADE WE'LL BE ABLE
TO TELL YOU ABOUT IT.
THE WAY WE FIND EXOPLANETS IS
HOW THEY BLOCK OUT A LITTLE BIT
OF THE STARLIGHT AS THEY PLANETS
MOVE IN FRONT AND AS THE PLANETS
MOVE IN FRONT WITH THE JAMES
WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE WE SHOULD
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY 0 WATCH THE
BACKGROUND STARLIGHT OF THEIR
PARENT STAR SHINE THROUGH THE
ATMOSPHERES.
WHEN THAT HAPPENS WEBB WILL HAVE
THE POWER TO ANALYZE THE
CHEMISTRY AND DETERMINE WHETHER
ANY OF THESE PLANETS HAVE
ATMOSPHERES THAT ARE FRIENDLY TO
LIGHT AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE
HERE. YOU SEE AN EXOPLANET IN
THIS ANIMATION MOVING IN FRONT
OF ITS STAR ACCORDING TO OUR
FIELD OF VIEW AND DIFFERENT
LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE WILL
ABSORB DIFFERENT THINGS,
DIFFERENT WAIVE LENGTHS OF LIGHT
IN THE INFRARED AND EXPLORE WHAT
THE ENVIRONMENTS OF THESE
PLANETS ARE LIKE EVEN FROM THIS
FAR AWAY.
LET'S GO BACK TO THE MISSION
OPERATION CENTER AND LET'S FIND
OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
>> ALL STATIONS, THIS IS MOM ON
OPS.
AS WE LOOK AT TELESCOPE AND
LISTEN TO THE PM RIGHT NOW, ALL
STATIONS, LISTEN TO THE PM.
>> I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO
CONGRATULATE EVERYONE.
ANOTHER BANNER DAY AND SECOND
SECONDARY MIRROR DEPLOYMENT
FOLKS.
THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE.
WE ARE AT A POINT WHERE ABOUT
6,000 MILES FROM EARTH AND WE
ACTUALLY HAVE A TELESCOPE.
CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYBODY.
[APPLAUSE]
>> ALL RIGHT.
SO THAT WAS BILL OUR PROGRAM
MANAGER.
CONGRATULATING EVERYONE ON THE
OPERATION LOOP.
>> SEEING SOME HIGH-5 THERE.
WHAT THEY HAVE DONE WHILE WE
WERE TALKING ABOUT EXOPLANETS
THEY CONFIRMED THE LATCH HAD
LATCHED AND TOOK OFF THE TENSION
FROM THE DEPLOYMENT MOTOR.
AND THEY'LL CONTINUE TO DO
LITTLE BIT TO MAKE SURE IT'S
PERFECTLY ALIGNED.
ABOUT YOU THIS IS A MAJOR
DEPLOYMENT AND IS IT IS LOCKED
INTO PLACE.
>> THIS IS TREMENDOUSLY
EXCITING.
>> AT THIS TIME WE ARE READY TO
PROCEED WHENEVER YOU ARE.
>> 0C: COPY THAT.
CONFIRMED.
>> OC, WE ARE GO TO PROCEED WITH
STEP 053 TO COMMAND THE DEU TO
STAND BY.
THAT LOOKS GOOD.
YOU ARE GO TO EXECUTE
>> THERE OC: COPY.
EXECUTING.
>> MOC: YOU ARE GO TO GO TO
CONTINUE.
>> OC: COPY.
GO TO CONTINUE.
>> YOU'LL HEAR US TALKING AND
YOU'LL HEAR US PAUSE AS WE
LISTEN TO COMMENTARY FROM
MISSION OPERATIONS CENTER.
SO JULIE, AFTER TODAY'S
WONDERFUL AND IS SUCCESSFUL
DEPLOYMENT OF THE SECONDARY
MIRROR, LITTLE BIT OF A LOOK
AHEAD AT WHAT'S HAPPENING NEXT.
TOMORROW I BELIEVE WE HAVE
ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT DEPLOYMENT,
THE ACT RADIATOR WILL DEPLOY.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT?
>> SURE.
THIS IS OUR ANIMATION.
THIS IS ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE
TELESCOPE BEHIND THE
INSTRUMENTS, AND YOU CAN SEE
RIGHT THERE ON THE ONE SIDE OF
THE SCREEN WAS ACTUALLY THE
MIRROR'S DEPLOYING OUT OF THE
WAY.
BUT THIS IS A RADIATOR THAT
TAKES SOME HEAT FROM THE
ELECTRONS AND ALL THE DIFFERENT
THINGS THAT STILL HAVE TO
OPERATE ON THE COLD SIDE OF THE
TELESCOPE AND DIRECTS THAT HEAT
OUT INTO DEEP SPACE.
TO DUMP THAT POWER OUT.
WHERE IT DOESN'T REFLECT AROUND
AND GET BACK INTO THE TELESCOPE.
>> THESE INSTRUMENTS ARE
DESIGNED TO OPERATE AT VERY COLD
TEMPERATURES.
AFTER THAT WE HAVE NOW THE
DEPLOYMENT OF THE WINGS OF THE
MAIN MIRROR.
SO WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING IN THE
NEXT FEW DAYS IS THAT THE TWO
SIDES OF THE MIRROR -- THE
MIRROR HAD TO BE FOLDED UP TO
FIT INTO SIDE OF THE ROCKET.
THIS IS THE LARGEST EVER BUILT.
IT HAD TO BE FOLDED UP INSIDE OF
A ROCKET AND WE'RE NOW DEPLOYING
IT AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE FOOT AN
OF THE TEST OF THE MIRRORS IN
THE CLEAN ROOM WHERE IT WAS
ASSEMBLED.
IF WE HAVE THAT FOOTAGE TO RUN,
JULIE YOU COULD COMMENT ON
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
>> THIS IS BACK TO THE SECONDARY
DEPLOYMENT THAT WE'RE DOING
HERE. AND THEN ONE LAST TIME IN
DIFFERENT VIEWS YOU CAN SEE THE
MIRROR.
HERE IS THE WING COMING OUT.
AND AS YOU SEE, YOU CAN SEE THAT
THERE'S A BLACK -- WE CALL IT
THE FRILLS AROUND THE SIDE OF
THE MIRRORS.
WHAT THAT DOES IS ACTUALLY
PREVENTS STARLIGHT FROM BEHIND
THE TELESCOPE FROM PASSING CLOSE
TO THE TELESCOPE AND ACTUALLY
HITTING THE SECONDARY MIRROR AND
WORKING ITS WAY INTO THE OPTICS
ITSELF.
SO THAT'S ACTUALLY SOFT
STRUCTURE.
IT'S A BLANKET-LIKE MATERIAL
MADE OUT OF KAPTOM.
AND HERE YOU CAN SEE A TECH 96
OR ENGINEER TAKING A CLOSE LOOK
TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS
HAPPENING PERFECTLY.
BEHIND THAT YOU CAN SEE PEOPLE
ON DIVING BOARDS.
WE HAD TO DO A LOT OF WORK HIGH
IN THE SKY -- THE TELESCOPE IS
SO BIG YOU COULDN'T BE STANDING
ON THE GROUND TO DO WORK.
SO OUR TECHNICIANS GOT GOOD AT
BEING UP HIGH ON CRANES AND ON
DIVING BOARDS WE CALL THEM AND
YOU CAN SEE THEY HAD FALL
PROTECTION TO MAKE SURE THEY
DIDN'T FALL.
THE TOOLS HAD TO BE TETHERED.
>> MOC: IT HAS COMPLETED
SUCCESSFULLY.
A THIS TIME WE'RE ON 055 AND
FRAME 14.
OC, THAT LOOKS GOOD.
YOU ARE GO TO EXECUTE.
>> OC: COPY.
EXECUTING.
>> THAT'S NOTHING COMPARED TO
WORKING IN THE SUITS IN THE
CLEAN ROOM.
SO MY KUDOS TO ALL THE PEOPLE
WHO WORKED ALL THAT TIME TO PUT
THIS TOGETHER.
WE SHOULDN'T COMPLAIN AT ALL
WEARING OUR COVID MASKS.
>> RIGHT.
TO WRAP IT UP WE HAVE LIVE
COVERAGE OF THE SUCCESSFUL
DEPLOYMENT OF THE SECONDARY
MIRROR, THE FOCUSSING STRUCTURE
OF THE JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE.
THIS IS ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF
THE OBSERVATORY AND I'M SMILING
AND I WAS VERY EXCITED TO SEE
THIS HAPPEN.
JOINING ME HAS BEEN JULIE VAN
CAMPEN SHE'S THE DEPUTY
COMMISSIONING ENGINEER AND MAIN
SYSTEM ENGINEER FOR THE
INSTRUMENT PACKAGE.
VERY HISTORIC DAY.
THIS PARTICULAR OBSERVATORY WILL
TAKE ABOUT 29 DAYS TO FULLY
DEPLOY.
AFTER THAT IT WILL COOL DOWN AND
YOU HAVE TO WAIT A FEW MONTHS
FOR THE FIRST IMAGES BECAUSE OF
COOLING DOWN.
BUT SO FAR EVERYTHING HAS GONE
ABSOLUTELY WONDERFULLY.
>> MOC: THAT INPUT LOOKS GOOD
AND YOU ARE GO TO EXECUTE.
>> OC: COPY THAT.
EXECUTING.
>> MOC: OC, YOU ARE GO TO
CONTINUE.
>> OC: COPY.
GO TO CONTINUE.
>> MOC: OC, STAND BY FOR
VERIFICATION.
>> OC: COPY.
STANDING BY.
>> MOC: PERIMETERS LOOK GOOD.
WE ARE GOOD TO MOVE THE MOTOR
>> OC: COPY.
GO TO MOVE.