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The James Webb Space Telescope Mission: Optical Telescope Element Design, Development, and PerformanceThe James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a large, infrared space telescope that has recently started its science program which will enable breakthroughs in astrophysics and planetary science. Notably, JWST will provide the very first observations of the earliest luminous objects in the universe and start a new era of exoplanet atmospheric characterization. This transformative science is enabled by a 6.6 m telescope that is passively cooled with a 5 layer sunshield. The primary mirror is comprised of 18 controllable, low areal density hexagonal segments, that were aligned and phased relative to each other in orbit using innovative image-based wave front sensing and control algorithms. This revolutionary telescope took more than two decades to develop with a widely distributed team across engineering disciplines. We present an overview of the telescope requirements, architecture, development, superb on-orbit performance, and lessons learned. JWST successfully demonstrates a segmented aperture space telescope and establishes a path to building even larger space telescopes.
Document ID
20230010809
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Michael W. McElwain ORCID
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Lee D. Feinberg
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Marshall D. Perrin ORCID
(Space Telescope Science Institute Baltimore, Maryland, United States)
Mark Clampin
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
C. Matt Mountain
(Association of Universities For Research In Astronomy Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States)
Matthew D. Lallo
(Space Telescope Science Institute Baltimore, Maryland, United States)
Charles-philippe Lajoie
(Space Telescope Science Institute Baltimore, Maryland, United States)
Randy A. Kimble
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Charles W. Bowers
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Christopher C. Stark
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
D. Scott Acton
(Ball Aerospace Corporation Boulder, Colorado, United States)
Charles Atkinson
(Northrop Grumman (United States) Falls Church, Virginia, United States)
Beth Barinek
(Northrop Grumman Space Systems )
Allison Barto
(Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation,)
Scott Basinger
(Jet Propulsion Lab La Cañada Flintridge, California, United States)
Tracy Beck ORCID
(Space Telescope Science Institute Baltimore, Maryland, United States)
Matthew D. Bergkoetter ORCID
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Marcel Bluth
(Intuitive Machines LLC)
Rene A. Boucarut
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Gregory R. Brady ORCID
(Space Telescope Science Institute Baltimore, Maryland, United States)
Keira J. Brooks ORCID
(Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics Boulder, Colorado, United States)
Bob Brown
(Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation)
John Byard
(KBR Wyle Services, LLC)
Larkin Carey
(Ball (United States) Broomfield, Colorado, United States)
Maria Carrasquilla
(Ball (United States) Broomfield, Colorado, United States)
Dan Chae
(Northrop Grumman Space Systems)
David Chaney
(Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation)
Erin M Wilson
(Ball Aerospace Corporation Boulder, Colorado, United States)
Tony L Whitman
(L3Harris Corporation Rochester, New York, United States)
Garrett West
(Ball Aerospace Corporation Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Scott Texter
(Northrop Grumman Space & Mission System)
Norbert Sigrist
(Jet Propulsion Lab La Cañada Flintridge, California, United States)
Thomas R Scorse
(SAIC )
Gary W Matthews
(Aerodyne Industries)
Lester Cohen
(Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States)
Bruce H. Dean
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Theodore J. Hadjimichael
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
William L. Hayden
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Joseph M. Howard
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
John D. Johnston
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Alden S. Jurling
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Ritva A. Keski-Kuha
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
John C. Mather
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Kimberly I. Mehalick
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Gary E. Mosier
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Malcolm B. Niedner
(EMERITUS)
Raymond G. Ohl
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Jane R. Rigby
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Babak N. Saif
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
J. Scott Smith
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Erin C. Smith
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Julie M. Van Campen
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Mark F. Voyton
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Thomas Paul Zielinski
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Mark Clampin
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Jeffrey R. Kegley
(Marshall Space Flight Center Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, United States)
H. Philip Stahl
(Marshall Space Flight Center Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, United States)
Date Acquired
July 25, 2023
Publication Date
May 23, 2023
Publication Information
Publication: Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Publisher: IOP Publishing Ltd
Volume: 135
Issue: 1047
Issue Publication Date: May 1, 2023
ISSN: 0004-6280
e-ISSN: 1538-3873
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Lunar and Planetary Science and Exploration
Funding Number(s)
WBS: 411672.07.04.02.01
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS5-03127
CONTRACT_GRANT: 80GSFC21CA007
CONTRACT_GRANT: 80GSFC23CA021
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS5-02200
CONTRACT_GRANT: 80NM0018D0004
CONTRACT_GRANT: J-090012
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG13FB20C
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS5-02200
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG17CR69C
CONTRACT_GRANT: 80GSFC21CA007
CONTRACT_GRANT: 80NSSC19M0135
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Portions of document may include copyright protected material.
Technical Review
Single Expert
Keywords
Infrared observatories
Infrared telescopes
Telescopes
Space telescopes
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