link at https://www.technologyreview.com/s/410253/a-moon-based-telescope/Where are all of NASA’s rocket scientists?
is this the Webb Hubbell telescope?
And the Skylab guys that learned from their mistakes on this have long since retired.
It ate MH 370?
The [James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)] science mandate is principally divided among four areas:
First light and reionization: This refers to the early stages of the universe after the Big Bang started the universe as we know it today. In the first stages after the Big Bang, the universe was a sea of particles (such as electrons, protons and neutrons), and light was not visible until the universe cooled enough for these particles to begin combining.
Another thing JWST will study is what happened after the first stars formed; this era is called “the epoch of reionization” because it refers to when neutral hydrogen was reionized (made to have an electric charge again) by radiation from these first stars.
Assembly of galaxies: Looking at galaxies is a useful way to see how matter is organized on gigantic scales, which in turn gives us hints as to how the universe evolved. The spiral and elliptical galaxies we see today actually evolved from different shapes over billions of years, and one of JWST’s goals is to look back at the earliest galaxies to better understand that evolution.
Scientists are also trying to figure out how we got the variety of galaxies that are visible today, and the current ways that galaxies form and assemble.
Birth of stars and protoplanetary systems: The Eagle Nebula’s “Pillars of Creation” are some of the most famous birthplaces for stars. Stars come to be in clouds of gas, and as the stars grow, the radiation pressure they exert blows away the cocooning gas (which could be used again for other stars, if not too widely dispersed.)
However, it’s difficult to see inside the gas. JWST’s infrared eyes will be able to look at sources of heat, including stars that are being born in these cocoons.
Planets and origins of life: The last decade has seen vast numbers of exoplanets discovered, including with NASA’s planet-seeking Kepler Space Telescope. JWST’s powerful sensors will be able to peer at these planets in more depth, including (in some cases) imaging their atmospheres.
Understanding the atmospheres and the formation conditions for planets could help scientists better predict if certain planets are habitable or not.
https://www.space.com/21925-james-webb-space-telescope-jwst.html
Technology is expensive.
The government has cost over runs.
Relax, it will be well worth it. When people think of Hubble the cost overruns are the last thing they think of.
The Information we will learn will be priceless and advance human understanding tenfold.
Scary to some people, sure, but if we let the cautious timidity of the un-curious lead us, we’d still be living in trees.
What they never mention is that the original mission suffered severe mission creep. The mirrors were of a size and material that had not been done before. The initial project timeline even without mission creep was overly optimistic.....ridiculously so
We’ll see if it launches. Would love to see it do so. Am not convinced it will
I started working on a key enabling technology for JWST and other space programs back in the early 90’s (cryocoolers). Anyway, we delivered the JWST cryo system to the next higher level of assembly in 2014. I can tell you that the JWST cryogenic system is by far the most complex cryogenic system ever built for space applications. Several other advanced electro/mechanical systems are also on this beast of a spacecraft.
I am now retired after 40 years in the aerospace industry, I consider working on the JWST cryo system to be the highlight of my career. Keeping my fingers crossed that all goes well!
We could have built two modern aircraft carriers for the cost of that thing, and it’s still not finished. It should have been scrapped as soon as it went over budget, in my opinion.
link at https://www.technologyreview.com/s/410253/a-moon-based-telescope/laws of systemantics:
-complex/complicated systems in general work poorly or not at all
-new systems create new problems
-complicated systems produce unexpected outcomes
-the total behavior of large systems cannot be predicted
-complex systems tend to oppose their own proper function
-programs never run the first time
-complex programs never run (anything worth doing once will probable have to be done twice)
But if JWST succeeds it will be spectacular and probably provide enough valuable data to keep researchers busy for decades. This telescope is capable of mind bending discoveries if all goes well.
If they want more money, auction off telescope time to all the universities and research institutes (say $1,000 1/2 hour or whatever the going rate is).
The should be able to raise enough cash from their own community.
If they want more money, auction off telescope time to all the universities and research institutes (say $1,000 1/2 hour or whatever the going rate is).
The should be able to raise enough cash from their own community.
This is a waste of tax dollars. All this is futile. There is nothing out there. We could build the wall we so desperately need in this nation rather than fiddle with make work for egg head “scientists”. Do you know what is after infinity? More infinity.
Nasa wasted 25 years on exploring near earth orbits with the Space Shuttle. Basically they said “the moon was cool but let’s set out sights waaaay lower” and get stuck in a rut. Now they have just one major mission yet again: build a bigger, better hubbel. I hope someone at least checks the math this time, there won’t be a space shuttle available to send up and fix the lens.
A telescope in a black hole... ...and they talk about it like its a bad thing.
Wouldn’t it be the greatest astronomic achievement in the history of mankind?
;-)
Hubble Ultra Deep is screen saver (or whatever they call it these days)
I can actually look at it and be amazed every single time
who is James Web and why does he have a telescope?
The ability to be serviced saved the Hubble Space Telescope from disaster. When the Hubble was first launched, a flaw in the mirror made it all but useless. A daring space shuttle mission performed fixes to the space telescope that restored its function and enabled a steady stream of scientific discoveries. Subsequent missions enhanced the Hubble and extended its operational life. What might have been a disaster was transformed into one of the greatest scientific triumphs in human history.
...
But what’s not being told is that each servicing mission cost more than replacing the telescope with a new one.