The next generation of Super space telescopes critical equipment to complete

Cosmic first light

Near-infrared spectrometer equipment, the task is to determine the observation field in the age of the celestial bodies, form, movement and distance. Scientists estimate that such observations will be able to identify those that shine in the most ancient stars in the early universe. This would also mean that for the first time captured through the vast space of 13.6 billion light years of the first rays of light reach the Earth and universe signal, this is the existing Hubble space telescope is unable to do so.

The James Webb Space Telescope was able to accomplish this task, because it has used a number of advanced technologies for the next generation, including caliber 6.5-meter primary mirror, which is virtually the Hubble Space Telescope primary mirror diameter more than twice times, there is also an area with a tennis giant Sun shroud to guarantees of keen observation and sensitivity. Its powered by near-infrared spectroscopy for the achievement of its observation capacities is essential, this equipment is the fruit of 10 years designing and manufacturing efforts.

Miracle of optical technology

On Friday Germany Otterbein (Ottobrunn) held a simple ceremony to mark that completion of the key equipment. It was then handed over to the European Space Agency (ESA), which soon will turn this sophisticated equipment worth more than 200 million euros to the United States Space Agency (NASA). On September 20, the NirSpec equipment will be shipped to is located in United States, Maryland, Goddard Space Flight Center, where it will be installed to telescope mirrors to integrate. Up to now, Europe bear the main part of the James Webb Space Telescope project tasks have been completed. Europe to take another device are infrared detectors (Miri), the equipment by the United Kingdom is responsible for the design and manufacture, and has handed over the US side last year.

According to current plans, the James Webb Space Telescope will be launched in October 2018, at which time it will be Europe's Ariane-5 rocket from the Kourou Space Centre in French Guiana in South America was launched. And now, in the dust-free workshop based in Otterbein, the construction is complete the NirSpec awaiting transhipment equipment is covered by a protective film, it did not see any detail. But if you lift the protective film observation, you'll enjoy the top level of precision optics, precision gives the shock is hard to describe.

NirSpec devices during Assembly is installed in the rear of the James Webb Space Telescope primary mirror, after the launch it will be here to receive the light from the primary mirror collect signals. Then the beam will go through a grating, where light is decomposed into a different color--spectrum. Subsequently receives the spectrum signal in the detector, and into an electrical signal and transmits it back to the ground.

Contributions of new material

All of this is in the near infrared, which is roughly between 0.6~5 micron wavelength range. That's why scientists are expected to experience after a long journey of more than 13 billion light years away, those early stars light the scope should have a wavelength.

NirSpec equipment design is an interesting problem, almost half the weight of the device is made of ultra high strength silicon carbide materials. Astrium company project manager laerfu·muer (Ralf Maurer) says: "sic a unique about it is that it allows us to use the same materials to create mirrors and the overall structure of the telescope. "He said:" this will alleviate thermal performance differences between different materials, so as to better adapt to shift between high and low temperature environment of the telescope without serious deformation. For precision optical observation equipment, this is very important. ”

The James Webb Space Telescope operating at near-infrared, which means that it will not only observe the extremely distant celestial objects, it can be observed that lower temperature of celestial bodies, as well as those by thick clouds of dust and gas parcels hidden objects. At close range can be expected in the observation of the universe, the James Webb Space Telescope will be able to make important discoveries, and one of the most anticipated item is run observations of extrasolar planets around other stars. For some of these observations in relatively good condition extrasolar planets, the James Webb Space Telescope might be able to tell the gas composition of the atmosphere, and this will tell us a lot of important information about the planet.

Develop a rough cost of amazing

Of course, in discussing the topic of the James Webb Space Telescope is hard to avoid talking about this epoch-making advanced observation equipment in many difficulties encountered during its construction. Due to budgetary, technical and managerial problems, and promote ongoing research extended the duration of the project, as well as severe budget overruns. If Europe and Canada on this count project budget the cost of the pay, the current total cost of the project had been close to a staggering 10 billion euros (about 81.17 billion yuan).

In fact, these difficulties and constantly postponed has caused a lot of problems, such as Germany has been identified, in the United States for the NirSpec built offers part two problems have emerged, and need to be replaced in a device prior to launch. These pieces of equipment are infrared detectors, as well as micro-shading systems. PIR detection sensitivity has been gradually reduced over time and therefore need to be replaced.

While micro-shading system is used more than 250,000 mini-door devices to choose from observing celestial bodies in the night sky, its time you can import 100 light observations of celestial bodies. Found in the testing of this device and a portion of the door be stuck in open condition cannot be closed. This United States Center Goddard engineers have devised a reaction to the response to the issue, the equipment but has yet to be modified in order to apply these measures for improvement.

Landmark observation equipment

Although the James Webb Space Telescope in development of this or that kind of mistakes and difficulties, which are truly extraordinary striking, but don't forget the Hubble Space Telescope currently in operation costing is equally impressive.

Many people ignore the fact that, that is, in order to carry out the launch and maintenance of the Hubble Space Telescope, United States implementation of up to 6 times more expensive space shuttle launch. , Of course, a lot of people would say that the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our understanding of the universe, which greatly influenced the course of modern science, but scientists for the James Webb Space Telescope, expecting nothing less than the Hubble space telescope.

JWST project lead, United States NASA's Dr Eric Smith (Eric Smith) says: "Webb is a ' predict ' telescope, Hubble just like its predecessor. "He said:" when the Hubble Space Telescope, when launched, people made a series of scientific indicators and predicted it would be able to more or less what is found. Hubble Telescope results did one by one those predictions. But across the Hubble Telescope project in its entirety, one of the most amazing, most exciting finds, are those who have not previously thought of Serendipity. This time, Webb telescope will have things like that happening. ”

Make·maikekehan from the European Space Agency (Mark McCaughrean), give such an assessment, he said: "there is no doubt that the James Webb Space Telescope will be the next generation of core equipment for observation, many research projects are based on the assumption that the James Webb Space Telescope will be able to successfully launched as scheduled and scheduled observation plans as a starting point. In many ways, compared to our current best observational equipment, the James Webb Space Telescope in terms of resolving power is not a factor of up to 10 times or 100 times, but up to 1000 times as much as 10,000 times. It's going to be a dominate the era of super surveillance equipment. ”

Some of the main facts and figures:

1) the James Webb Space Telescope primary mirror set is approximately 7 times the Hubble Space Telescope;

2) the James Webb Space Telescope's hood is 22 m *12 m, on the back hood was up to 300 degrees Celsius temperature difference;

3) all observations of the James Webb Space Telescope equipment had to be kept at very low temperatures, so will be able to ensure that the instrument itself does not have an interference on observations of infrared radiation;

4) James Webb Space Telescope, will take place in 2018 aboard European Ariane rocket, it will run after liftoff at the Lagrangian point of the 1.5 million kilometres from Earth Science observations.