New telescope will change the way we observe the universe

Scheduled to launch in December, the James Webb telescope is expected to answer people's questions about how the universe formed and life beyond Earth.

James Webb, NASA's most powerful space telescope, will be launched on December 18 in French Guiana.

It will be the moment that astronomers have been waiting for a decade. James Webb has repeatedly missed appointments due to technical problems and outbreaks of disease. This telescope is tasked with answering questions about the Solar System, analyzing the atmospheres of exoplanets, looking for signs to find clues related to extraterrestrial life.

Took 17 years, 40 million hours to perfect

James Webb has been in development since 2004. Since then, thousands of scientists, technicians and engineers from 14 countries have spent more than 40 million hours building the telescope. According to CNN, James Webb has a 6.5 m wide mirror, allowing to collect a lot of light from objects in the universe. Picking up more light means the telescope can see more detail.

The golden mirror of James Webb glasses can be folded and opened like origami works from Japan. (Photo: CNN).

It's the largest mirror NASA has ever built for a telescope. The large size makes it impossible for the mirror to fit into the rocket. As a result, NASA designed the parts of the glass to be foldable like a Japanese origami. When launched into space, the engines and actuators will open the mirror.

Each telescope is developed based on experience from the previous generation. James Webb's mirror is 60 times larger than previous telescopes. The resolution and sensitivity of the telescope is also higher than that of Hubble, which first operated since 1990.

James Webb's Mission

The James Webb telescope is expected to help us better understand the origin of the universe, find clues about the formation and existence of humans and extraterrestrial life.

The James Webb telescope will analyze all stages of the universe's history, including the first rays of light after the Big Bang, the formation of galaxies, stars and planets. The power of the telescope could answer questions about how the first galaxies formed 13.5 billion years ago.

Scientists will also use James Webb to observe and analyze planets, black holes, galaxies, stars and the structure of the universe. They will focus on observing the formation and evolution of planets in and out of the Solar System, especially those located in the habitable zone, where the temperature is suitable for the formation of liquid water.

With the help of the Spitzer telescope, the team of scientists at NASA set observation goals for James Webb. One of them is TRAPPIST-1e, a planet discovered in February 2017 that may have water on its surface. James Webb was better able to characterize, measure and collect intricate details of the planet than Spitzer.

James Webb is considered the most powerful space telescope ever built. (Photo: NASA).

In addition to TRAPPIST-1e, James Webb will also observe the atmospheres of many other exoplanets. Spectroscopic data from the telescope can help scientists determine the amount of methane, carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide in the atmosphere, thereby analyzing the formation and evolution of exoplanets.

Other objects that James Webb was able to observe include the supermassive black holes at the center of the Milky Way, the formation of planetary systems, and the extremely bright quasars at the center of the galaxy. and the Kuiper belt, made up of bodies left over from the formation of the Solar System, including Pluto and its natural satellite Charon.

The most powerful telescope ever built

With these capabilities, James Webb is considered the most powerful telescope the world has ever built. The telescope consists of three main components, the first being the Integrated Science Instrument Module, which contains four devices for imaging or spectroscopy, which subdivide light into different wavelengths to determine properties. physical and chemical substances.

The second part is the Optical Telescope Element, James Webb's observation device consisting of a mirror and a prop. Finally is the Spacecraft Element (Spaceship), including the control box (spacecraft bus) and the sun visor.

The glass's control box contains the systems critical to the spacecraft's operation, including propulsion, electrical, communication, data, and thermal control systems. Meanwhile, the protective shield is the size of a tennis court, when opened will protect the mirror and James Webb's components from the heat of the sun because they need to be kept at -188 degrees Celsius to function. .

If the Perseverance probe lands on Mars after "seven terrifying minutes" - the time it takes the spacecraft to slow down to zero for a safe landing, NASA describes James Webb as spending "29 days on the brink". Specifically, after launching from Guiana, the telescope will travel in 29 days to reach an orbit about 1.6 million km from Earth. During that time, James Webb needed to open the mirror and sunshade.

Model of James Webb on display in Austin (USA). (Photo: NASA).

This process requires thousands of parts to function perfectly in order. However, unlike the 7 minutes of Perseverance, scientists on the ground can control the movement of James Webb for 29 days to handle if there is a problem.

After reaching orbit, James Webb will run a test for 6 months, including the process of cooling down and adjusting parameters. By the end of 2022, the telescope will collect the first data and images.

"The first year of operation of the James Webb telescope will give scientists around the world the opportunity to observe specific targets. Amazing scientific findings will be shared with the global community." , said Thomas Zurbuchen, deputy director of science missions at NASA.