NASA Review Board Validates New Technologies On James Webb Space Telescope

SPACE SCOPES

The James Webb Space Telescope

by Staff Writers
Redondo Beach CA (SPX) May 03, 2007
All ten new technologies developed for NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) are mature enough to move into the detailed engineering phase. Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor, leading an industry team in the Webb's design and development under contract to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, Md.

A team of experts assembled by NASA thoroughly reviewed the progress and status of the new technologies during a Technical Non-Advocate Review held in late January. The experts determined that all ten technologies have achieved Technology Readiness Level 6, which means the prototypes have been successfully tested in a relevant environment (simulating space).

"New technologies had to be pioneered for the Webb Telescope to perform its mission," said Martin Mohan, JWST program manager for Northrop Grumman's Space Technology sector. "These required tremendous expertise and hard work to bring them to the required level of maturity. We're pleased with the Review Board's validation of our progress to date, and we're ready to move forward and flight qualify our engineering designs."

The JWST program held this review more than one year prior to the mission preliminary design review to assure that all the new technologies were understood before proceeding further. The goal is to help reduce the risk of cost growth and schedule delays as the program moves further into development.

The technologies were developed under Northrop Grumman's and GSFC's leadership. They include: near-infrared detectors, sunshield materials, mid-infrared detectors, lightweight cryogenic mirrors, micro-shutter arrays, cryogenic detector readout application-specific integrated circuits, cryogenic heat switches, large precision cryogenic structures, wavefront sensing and control, and cryocoolers.

The Webb Telescope will explore far beyond the reach of current telescopes, peering into the near and mid-infrared at great distances to search for answers to astronomers' fundamental questions about the birth and evolution of galaxies, the size and shape of the universe and the mysterious life cycle of matter.

Email This Article

SPACE SCOPES

Galex Celebrates Four Years In Space

Cambridge, MA (SPX) May 02, 2007
In a new ultraviolet image, the magnificent M81 spiral galaxy is shown at the center. The orbiting observatory spies the galaxy's "sizzling young starlets" as wisps of bluish-white swirling around a central golden glow. The tints of gold at M81's center come from a "senior citizen" population of smoldering stars.

SUPERPOWERS Japan's Mideast Balancing Act Putin's Inconsistencies Japan Launches Study On Collective Defence Abe Sees More Assertive Japan Across Entire World	NUKEWARS Pyongyang Proposes General-Level Military Talks With Seoul Nuke Meeting Suspended After Iranian Objections As China Warned To Stop Iran Investments US Reaffirms Defense Vows To Japan As Others Call For NK Incentives South Korea Wants Talks With North Korea On Opening Rail Link
MISSILE NEWS Raytheon Tallies USD 100 Million In Awards For Patriot Missiles Upgrades US Army Awards Raytheon Major Patriot Engineering Services Contract Lockheed Martin Concludes Phase II Tests Of Guided MLRS Unitary Rocket Raytheon And US Navy Team For Standard Missile Improvements	MISSILE DEFENSE A Scheming America Or An Uncooperative Russia Raytheon Wins GEM-T Contract US To Meet With Czech Leaders On ABM As Deal Done With Montenegro Bush Woos Russia On Missile Defense
AEROSPACE Australia Fears Jet Flight Guilt Could Hit Tourism Nondestructive Testing Keeps Bagram Aircraft Flying New FAA Oceanic Air Traffic System Designed By Lockheed Martin Fully Operational NASA Seeks New Research Proposals	UAV NEWS L-3 Communications Buys Geneva Aerospace And More Boeing-Insitu ScanEagle UAV Logs 1000 Combat Flight Hours With Australian Army Air Force Official Testifies On UAV Executive Agent Issue Maiden Flight Killer Bee UAV
IRAQ WARS US Death Rate Falls In Iraq US Concerned About Iraqi Purge Petraeus Pledges To Assess Surge Democrats Authorize Subpoena For Rice	MILTECH Raytheon Makes First International Sale Of Aircraft Protection System Global Sustainment Of F-35 Fleet Becomes Reality At LM New Simulators Get Stryker Drivers Up To Speed Backscatter Technology Leaves Bad Guys No Place To Hide

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement