The DailyTech reports that NASA scientists have just released details on a new space telescope. This new space telescope, called JWST, will fly into outer space during June of 2013. JWST is the short abbreviated term of the James Webb Space Telescope. This brand new telescope will replace the aging Hubble Space Telescope that is currently in use. The JWST cost a massive $4.5 billion dollars to develop.
The telescope is going to gather data at a further spot in space, than where the Hubble space telescope location currently is. The new JWST telescope will have new mirrors that are lighter and cheaper to produce, compared with the Hubble mirrors. The new telescope will have a bigger mirror, which means it will be able to see light from farther away. The bigger a telescope’s mirror is, the more data that can be collected from the far reaches of the universe.
According to Technology Review, the new mirror on this telescope will look into the universe in the infrared spectrum. The Hubble Space Telescope was able to look into ultraviolet and optical wavelengths. The new telescope is able to detect the infrared spectrum, because it will be running at colder temperatures compared to the Hubble Space Telescope. The JWST will be approximately 1.5 million miles from planet earth.
The telescope will be made from a material that has already been into outer space. The JWST will be constructed from beryllium. Beryllium is a extremely light metal. The Spitzer Space Telescope that was sent out during August of 2003 used this same material.
The new mirror on the telescope will be in 18 different sections, which have a total area of 25 square meters. This size make the James Webb Space Telescope seven times the size of the mirrors on Hubble. Technology Review reports that John Decker, deputy associate director at NASA, says “The mirror is one of the most revolutionary technologies that will go aboard the JWST,” says Decker. “It is extremely lightweight, with very precise optical surfaces.”
According to Wikipedia, the Hubble Space Telescope was first launched in 1990. Hubble became a very important piece of research for deep space. Using the data obtained from Hubble, scientists were able to get a better grasp on the fundamental problems in astrophysics. Hubble was also able to capture the event of Comet Shoemaker Levy 9 when it happened on Jupiter in 1994. The telescope was able to capture sharp images of Comet Shoemaker Levy 9 crashing onto the plant of Jupiter.
Hubble was also able to help with work in the research of black holes. In the 1960’s, scientists thought that black holes might be in the center of galaxies throughout the universe. The Hubble Space Telescope was able to prove that black holes can probably be found in almost every galaxy.
NASA hopes there will be more incredible discoveries made, once the new JWST is launched. Until this launch happens, NASA will keep using the Hubble Space Telescope. Right now, space enthusiasts can visit a full scale model of the new JWST, near the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
Sources
Michael Hoffman “NASA Unveils Hubble’s Successor” “http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=7255”
Brittany Sauser “Giant Mirror for a New Space Telescope” “http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=18747”
“Hubble Space Telescope Wikipedia” “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubble_Telescope”
