Go behind the scenes of one of the biggest group projects in history.
The James Webb Space Telescope is a massive, gold-coated telescope currently in orbit nearly a million miles away from Earth. It can show us clear images of the first stars in existence, other galaxies, and potentially habitable planets. But before it was launched, there was a long, impressively conducted period of construction and the photos of it look like they’re straight out of a sci-fi movie.
Here’s some scientists operating massive cranes, installing gargantuan golden mirrors, and taking cool selfies all in the name of furthering our knowledge of space.
All images provided by NASA.
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The OSIM going in the vacuum chamber for testing.
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James Webb Space Telescope Cryogenic Mirror testing
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Engineers take a selfie in the Gold-coated Engineering Design Unit
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Webb's Mirrors Arriving at MSFC for Cryo Testing
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Webb's Mirrors being recieved for Cryo Testing
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Webb's Mirrors undergoing Cryo Testing
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Engineers from Ball Aerospace inspect the first James Webb Space Telescope mirror segment
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Three James Webb Space Telescope mirror segments are mounted on a test stand
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The ISIM placed in a "Helium Shroud" which was then placed into the Space Environment Simulator (SES) Chamber.
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Six of the 18 Webb telescope mirrors are readied for shipment.
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Ball Aerospace lead optical test engineer Dave Chaney inspects six primary mirror segments
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Goddard technicians install instrument mass simulators onto the James Webb Space Telescope ISIM structure.
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The flight mirrors for the James Webb Space Telescope undergo cryogenic testing
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Videographer Mike McClare's with the primary mirror segments.
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Gold-coated Engineering Design Unit (EDU) Primary Mirror Segment
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Project scientist Mark Clampin is reflected in the flight mirrors at Marshall Space Flight Center.
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James Webb Space Telescope Secondary Mirror
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The James Webb Space Telescope's Sunshield Membrane
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Mirror Segments removed from the X-ray and Cryogenic test Facility
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Primary Mirror Segment Cryogenic Testing
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The OSIM going in the vacuum chamber for testing.
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The James Webb Space Telescope Backplane Pathfinder
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Full-scale James Webb Space Telescope Backplane Mock-up
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Scanning Webb's Surrogate Eye
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NASA's MIRI Instrument Gets Clean Bill of Health
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Mirror segments packed up in special shipping canisters for shipping to NASA.
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The Webb Telescope's 'Golden Spider'
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Flight Mirror Segment Inspection
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Testing of the James Webb Space Telescope's Center of Curvature Optical Assembly
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James Webb Space Telescope Mirrors Undergoing Cryogenic Testing
