Are you guys excited about the James Webb Space Telescope?

[aliensalmon]

https://jwst.nasa.gov/content/webbLaunch/index.html

 

It;'s scheduled to launch on the 22nd of December! One thing I'm looking forward to is its ability to observe extrasolar planets in more detail.

[joaocordeiro]

There are several points of view to give you this answer. 

 

Yes, i am very excited about its imaging capabilities. 

If everything goes according to plan, it will provide us with wanderfull new information and images. 

 

But, im kind of pessimistic about the entire project. 

The project is composed by a large quantity of extreme mechanisms that all have to work flawlessly. 

And the telescope wont go to 500km altitude where it can be repaired, like Hubble. 

 

If i add the history of Nasa, regarding telescopes, to the amount of details needed for success, with the delays the project has suffered, to the recent accident, to the location that its going to be sent, I feel like the odds are against it. 

 

And being hyped like it is being, it will only cause a massive frustration to everyone if something goes wrong. 

 

 

For those that dont know what has details that im talking about here are some:

The telescope has several mirrors that are folded, will have to unfold perfectly, and i mean, PERFECTLY. One micron too far is a massive failure. 

The telescope imaging sensors (the camara) have to be actively refrigerated, those are aimed to detect heat waves (IR to microwaves) and if the sensor is too hot, it will generate radiation it self. This requires an container with a cooling agent that will have to last years. This requires a precise control over how much cooling agent is used. Too much, we will have the telescope rendered useless in months. Too little, images gathered are full of noise and useless. 

To prevent the entire telescope from heating because of the sun, there are 3 reflective shields that have to be deployed to cast a shadow into the telescope. 

Those shield are rolls of a metallic reflective foil and conposed of several triangle shaped forms per shield. 

The chances of all (12-30 shapes?) unfolding after the stress of launch and months of cold harsh inter planetary trevel dont look very good in my eyes. 

Then all the mechanisms focus movement, reaction wheels, aeronautics, comunications have to be in working condition 

And all the theory, mathematic calculations have to be perfect (we have seen this fail with Hubble) 

 

I really hope it delivers, but im not putting my money on that horse. 

[aliensalmon]

2 hours ago, joaocordeiro said:

There are several points of view to give you this answer. 

 

Yes, i am very excited about its imaging capabilities. 

If everything goes according to plan, it will provide us with wanderfull new information and images. 

 

But, im kind of pessimistic about the entire project. 

The project is composed by a large quantity of extreme mechanisms that all have to work flawlessly. 

And the telescope wont go to 500km altitude where it can be repaired, like Hubble. 

 

If i add the history of Nasa, regarding telescopes, to the amount of details needed for success, with the delays the project has suffered, to the recent accident, to the location that its going to be sent, I feel like the odds are against it. 

 

And being hyped like it is being, it will only cause a massive frustration to everyone if something goes wrong. 

 

 

For those that dont know what has details that im talking about here are some:

The telescope has several mirrors that are folded, will have to unfold perfectly, and i mean, PERFECTLY. One micron too far is a massive failure. 

The telescope imaging sensors (the camara) have to be actively refrigerated, those are aimed to detect heat waves (IR to microwaves) and if the sensor is too hot, it will generate radiation it self. This requires an container with a cooling agent that will have to last years. This requires a precise control over how much cooling agent is used. Too much, we will have the telescope rendered useless in months. Too little, images gathered are full of noise and useless. 

To prevent the entire telescope from heating because of the sun, there are 3 reflective shields that have to be deployed to cast a shadow into the telescope. 

Those shield are rolls of a metallic reflective foil and conposed of several triangle shaped forms per shield. 

The chances of all (12-30 shapes?) unfolding after the stress of launch and months of cold harsh inter planetary trevel dont look very good in my eyes. 

Then all the mechanisms focus movement, reaction wheels, aeronautics, comunications have to be in working condition 

And all the theory, mathematic calculations have to be perfect (we have seen this fail with Hubble) 

 

I really hope it delivers, but im not putting my money on that horse. 

 

That's a good analysis, but I'm sure the engineers accounted for many of the possible problems the telescope may encounter. Still, perhaps it's best to be guarded against high expectations!

[MiroD]

Yes - I find it important, but far from excitement. I am waiting for a telescope built on the moon - it may happen in my lifetime

[aliensalmon]

First images are coming tomorrow! President Biden gave a sneak peek today!

 

https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/

[blundertwink]

On 12/7/2021 at 5:24 PM, joaocordeiro said:

The telescope has several mirrors that are folded, will have to unfold perfectly, and i mean, PERFECTLY. One micron too far is a massive failure. 

The telescope imaging sensors (the camara) have to be actively refrigerated, those are aimed to detect heat waves (IR to microwaves) and if the sensor is too hot, it will generate radiation it self. This requires an container with a cooling agent that will have to last years. This requires a precise control over how much cooling agent is used. Too much, we will have the telescope rendered useless in months. Too little, images gathered are full of noise and useless. 

To prevent the entire telescope from heating because of the sun, there are 3 reflective shields that have to be deployed to cast a shadow into the telescope. 

Those shield are rolls of a metallic reflective foil and conposed of several triangle shaped forms per shield. 

The chances of all (12-30 shapes?) unfolding after the stress of launch and months of cold harsh inter planetary trevel dont look very good in my eyes. 

Then all the mechanisms focus movement, reaction wheels, aeronautics, comunications have to be in working condition 

And all the theory, mathematic calculations have to be perfect (we have seen this fail with Hubble) 

 

I don't blame anyone for being skeptical, I was too -- but I'm glad everything seems to have worked beyond expectations. Who knows how bad the micrometeoroids will really be, but barring some additional bad luck, it could survive another 20 years. 

 

Overall, Webb has been a great success for science in a time where celebrating science is especially important.