JWST Countdown To Terror 😳

[kirkster501]

So pleased that things are going well so far.  Let's hope it continues.

[Laurieast]

From https://blogs.nasa.gov/webb/

Tensioning Begins for Two Layers of Webb’s Sunshield

With three layers of Webb’s sunshield fully deployed, the team commenced tensioning – that is, pulling each layer fully taut – of the final two layers this morning.

We will have live coverage of the fifth layer tensioning at https://www.nasa.gov/nasalive beginning at about 9:30 am EST.

Edited January 4, 2022 by Laurieast

[kirkster501]

Layer 4 just been tensioned.  They are on the final layer now.

[Laurieast]

5th layer tensioning 

[Stu]

10 minutes ago, Laurieast said:

5th layer tensioning 

Crikey, that was quick. Thought they were having a rest!! 👍👍

[Zermelo]

This tension is unbearable.

[Laurieast]

Only 18 more cables to go 

[Laurieast]

Four corners done, only one to go 

[Laurieast]

Complete!!

All five layers tensioned. 

[Zermelo]

I don't think I ever anticipated being quite so engaged by the stretching of five pieces of plastic.
And we still have the primary mirror alignment to come, which was described during the live feed just now - it sounds a bit more involved than a cheshire and three screws.

Question for someone please - how far into the commissioning phase will we know that the optics are sound? i.e. when is the comparable moment to the one where we found out that the Hubble mirror was misfigured?

[CedricTheBrave]

3 minutes ago, Zermelo said:

I don't think I ever anticipated being quite so engaged by the stretching of five pieces of plastic.
And we still have the primary mirror alignment to come, which was described during the live feed just now - it sounds a bit more involved than a cheshire and three screws.

Question for someone please - how far into the commissioning phase will we know that the optics are sound? i.e. when is the comparable moment to the one where we found out that the Hubble mirror was misfigured?

i think they said that the next 5 or 6 months was for calibration and cooling

[Gfamily]

1 hour ago, Zermelo said:

This tension is unbearable.

If meant as a pun, bravo!

[Macavity]

26 minutes ago, Zermelo said:

Question for someone please - how far into the commissioning phase will we know that the optics are sound? i.e. when is the comparable moment to the one where we found out that the Hubble mirror was misfigured?

(I suppose!) ONE critical thing is the (relatively easy?) deployment of the 
secondary mirror? Idem the outer segments of the *primary* mirror?
I suppose it might give *some* service without these latter, but?!?
We ALL hope these "deployments"  will be a success! 🙂

My heart 💓(!) really goes out to the folks who worked on this thing! 🙂
(Not sure I could have coped with being a "space probe" developer...)

Edited January 4, 2022 by Macavity

[Mr Spock]

So far so good as they say 

[Sunshine]

Amazing! I listened to it streaming in my company vehicle which prompted my partner to ask "dude what are you listening to" 

[IB20]

Dunno why but I’m extremely nervous for the secondary mirror deployment. 😬

[markse68]

10 hours ago, Zermelo said:

Question for someone please - how far into the commissioning phase will we know that the optics are sound? i.e. when is the comparable moment to the one where we found out that the Hubble mirror was misfigured?

They learnt from Hubble and this time the individual mirror segments will not only be adjusted for collimation but can be deformed to adjust focal length. I guess they needed to be able to compensate unknowns what with extremes of temperature and all the vibration from the flight and the mirrors being light weight beryllium. 

[Rusted]

I don't believe any of this nonsense about tensioning 5 fly sheets.
It is hard enough to erect a tent on a sandy camping site.
Are we supposed to believe they tensioned that lot using sky pegs?

 

.

[kirkster501]

7 hours ago, IB20 said:

Dunno why but I’m extremely nervous for the secondary mirror deployment. 😬

Me too. This is mission critical - nuclear level. Even if the sunshield didn’t work, there was still a mission of sorts. No secondary and, as well all know, JWST is a piece of space junk. It is broadcast on NASA live later.

[tomato]

Hopefully all that ground base testing will prove to be time and money well spent.

[Phil Fargaze]

Nail biting live feed on now for secondary mirror deployment!

[Zermelo]

Here we go ...

[Macavity]

https://youtu.be/-EnlaXnFcGs (NASA TV)
... Cool animation! About half way there...

 

[kirkster501]

Amazing , it deployed!  That was my biggest worry about the whole deployment.

[Chaz2b]

I had no worries..I’m so cool!…

chaz.😂