The new James Webb telescope. The successor to the Hubble telescope, the James Webb Telescope will be ready on time: confirmation from NASA. Precise guidance sensor

Webb will peer into the near- and mid-infrared spectrum, aided by his position at the L2 point behind the moon and solar shields that block the intrusive light of the Sun, Earth and Moon, beneficially affecting the cooling of the device. Scientists hope to see the universe's very first stars, the formation and collision of young galaxies, and the birth of stars in protoplanetary systems - which may contain the chemical components of life.

These first stars may hold the key to understanding the structure of the Universe. Theoretically, where and how they form is directly related to the first patterns of dark matter - an invisible, mysterious substance detected by gravitational influences - and their cycles of life and death cause feedback that influenced the formation of the first galaxies. And since short-lived supermassive stars are about 30 to 300 times the mass of our Sun (and millions of times brighter), these first stars could have exploded as supernovae, and then collapsed to form black holes, which gradually occupied the centers of most massive galaxies.

Seeing all this is certainly a feat for the tools we have made so far. Thanks to new instruments and spacecraft, we will be able to see even more.

Tour of the James Webb Space Telescope

Webb looks like a diamond-shaped raft equipped with a thick, curved mast and sail - if built by giant beryllium-eating bees. Directed with its lower part towards the Sun, the “raft” from below consists of a shield - layers of Kapton, separated by slits. Each layer is separated by a vacuum gap for efficient cooling, and together they protect the main reflector and instruments.

Kapton is a very thin (think human hair) polymer film made by DuPont that is capable of maintaining stable mechanical properties under conditions of extreme heat and vibration. If you want, you can boil water on one side of the shield and keep the nitrogen in liquid form on the other. It also folds up quite well, which is important for launching.

The ship's "keel" consists of a structure that stores the solar shield during launch and solar panels to power the vehicle. In the center is a box that contains all the critical support functions that power Webb, including power, attitude control, communications, command, data processing and thermal control. The antenna brightens up the appearance of the box and helps make sure everything is oriented in the right direction. At one end of the heat shield, perpendicular to it, there is a torque trimmer, which compensates for the pressure exerted by photons on the device.

On the space side of the shield there is a “sail”, a giant Webb mirror, part of the optical equipment and a box with equipment. The 18 hexagonal beryllium sections will unfold after launch to become one large primary mirror, 6.5 meters across.

Opposite this mirror, held in place by three supports, is a secondary mirror that focuses light from the primary mirror into the aft optical subsystem, a wedge-shaped box protruding from the center of the primary mirror. This structure deflects stray light and directs light from the secondary mirror to instruments located at the rear of the "mast", which also supports the segmented structure of the primary mirror.

Once the vehicle completes its six-month commissioning period, it will operate for 5-10 years, perhaps longer, depending on fuel consumption, but will be too far away to be repaired. In fact, Hubble are somewhat of an exception in this regard. But like Hubble and other shared observatories, Webb's mission will be to work with competitively selected projects from scientists around the world. The results will then find their way into the research and data available online.

Let's take a closer look at the tools that make all this research possible.

Instruments: out of sight

Although it sees something in the visual range (red and gold light), Webb is a fundamentally large infrared telescope.

Its main thermal imager, near-infrared camera NIRCam, sees in the range of 0.6-5.0 microns (near infrared). It will be able to detect the infrared light from the birth of the very first stars and galaxies, conduct surveys of nearby galaxies and local objects scurrying through the Kuiper Belt - an expanse of icy bodies orbiting beyond Neptune, which also contains Pluto and other dwarf planets.

NIRCam is also equipped with a coronagraph, which will allow the camera to observe the thin halo surrounding bright stars, blocking their blinding light - an essential tool for identifying exoplanets.

The near-infrared spectrograph operates in the same wavelength range as NIRCam. Like other spectrographs, it analyzes the physical properties of objects such as stars, separating the light they emit into spectra, the structure of which changes depending on the temperature, mass and chemical composition of the object.

NIRSpec will study thousands of ancient galaxies with emission so weak that a single spectrograph will need hundreds of hours to do the job. To simplify this daunting task, the spectrograph is equipped with a remarkable device: a grid of 62,000 individual blinds, each about 100 by 200 microns in size (the width of a few human hairs) and each of which can be opened and closed to block the light of brighter stars. With this array, NIRSpec will be the first space spectrograph that can observe hundreds of different objects simultaneously.

Fine Guidance Sensor and a slitless spectrograph (FGS-NIRISS) are essentially two sensors packaged together. NIRISS includes four modes, each associated with a different wavelength. These range from slitless spectroscopy, which creates a spectrum using a prism and a grating called a grism, which together create interference patterns that can reveal exoplanetary light against the background light of the star.

FGS is a sensitive and unblinking camera that takes navigation pictures and transmits them to attitude control systems that keep the telescope pointing in the right direction.

Webb's latest instrument extends its range from the near-infrared to mid-infrared spectrum, which is useful for observing redshift objects as well as planets, comets, asteroids, solar-heated dust and protoplanetary disks. Being both a camera and a spectrograph, this instrument MIRI covers the widest range of wavelengths, 5-28 microns. Its broadband camera will be able to capture more of the kinds of images we love about Hubble.

Also, infrared observations have important implications for understanding the Universe. Dust and gas can block visible light from stars in a stellar nursery, but infrared light cannot. Moreover, as the Universe expands and galaxies move apart, their light is “stretched” and becomes redshifted, moving into the long-wave spectrum of electromagnetic waves such as infrared. The further away a galaxy is, the faster it recedes and the greater its redshift becomes - that's the value of the Webb telescope.

The infrared spectrum can also provide a wealth of information about the atmospheres of exoplanets and whether they contain molecular components associated with life. On Earth, we call water vapor, methane and carbon dioxide "greenhouse gases" because they absorb heat. Because this trend holds true everywhere, scientists can use Webb to detect familiar substances in the atmospheres of distant worlds by observing the substances' absorption patterns using spectrographs.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is an orbital infrared observatory that is expected to replace the Hubble Space Telescope. The telescope is scheduled to launch in 2014.

The idea of ​​creating a Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) was first announced in the summer of 1996 at a meeting of a special committee of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which included leading American astronomers and astrophysicists. On September 10, 2002, NASA Director Sean O'Keefe announced that the new telescope would be named after one of the founders of the American Apollo lunar program, James Edwin Webb (1906-1992), who led NASA from February 1961 to October 1968.

The James Webb design includes a huge mirror with a diameter of 6.5 meters (the diameter of Hubble's mirror is 2.4 meters) and a sun shield the size of a tennis court. The mirror and shield, due to their dimensions, will be delivered to the launch vehicle folded, and then unfolded after the telescope is launched into outer space.

The main difference between Hubble and James Webb is the range of operation: Hubble's instruments collect information in infrared, visible light and ultraviolet, while James Webb will work primarily in the infrared. In this regard, the new telescope can also be considered the successor to the world's largest space-based infrared observatory, Spitzer, launched by NASA on August 25, 2003.

The telescope will be located in outer space at the Lagrange point L2, located 1.5 million km from our planet. In it, the Earth almost completely obscures sunlight, without interfering with observations, since it faces L2 with its unlit side. The gravitational forces of the Earth and the Sun will ensure the relative immobility of the telescope relative to these two celestial bodies. Small changes in the location of the James Webb, preventing it from leaving the radiation safety zone, will be carried out using correction engines. Being in the earth's shadow will allow the telescope to operate without artificial cooling.

The primary objectives of the James Webb are: discovering the first stars and galaxies formed after the Big Bang, studying the formation and development of galaxies, stars, planetary systems and the origin of life, as well as the connection of the Big Bang with our Milky Way galaxy. This is the reason for the infrared mode of operation of the telescope - the most distant and ancient objects of the Universe cannot be detected in the optical range.

The telescope has various instruments for space exploration, which include: a device for working in the mid-infrared range (MIRI), a camera in the near-infrared range (NIRCam), a spectrograph in the near-infrared range (Near -Infrared Spectrograph, NIRSpec), precision guidance sensor (to the observation object) with customizable filters (Fine Guidance Sensor/Tuneable Filter Imager, FGS/TFI).

It was initially assumed that the creation of the James Webb would cost only $0.5 billion, that is, three times cheaper than the production of the Hubble. Currently, the project cost of the telescope is 4-4.5 billion dollars. Despite the fact that during the crisis, funding for some space programs was cut, the James Webb project, according to NASA Director Michael Griffin, continues to be one of the main priorities of the American aerospace administration.

James Webb Space Telescope. Credit: NASA.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is still a ways off from launching its mission, but its glittering gold mirror has already achieved iconic status. This segmented mirror resembles the eye of an insect, and in the future, when the “eye” begins its work at the Lagrange point (L2), it will provide humanity with detailed data about our Universe. The telescope's mirror has already been assembled and is in a sterile room at Goddard Space Flight Center, giving us a glimpse of what the telescope will look like when it begins its mission.

Even if you know nothing about JWST, its capabilities, or its mission, you will be impressed just by looking at it. It is obvious that this is a high-tech and one-of-a-kind instrument. In fact, it can even be mistaken for an example of art. Unfortunately, I have seen less attractive creations of modern art, and you?

Of course, many of you are aware of the fact that JWST will surpass its predecessor, the Hubble Space Telescope. And this is quite understandable, given the fact that Hubble was launched back in April 1990. But how exactly can JWST beat Hubble, and what are its main goals?

The main objectives of the JWST mission can be divided into four areas:

1. Infrared observations that can be compared to a time machine. They give us a glimpse of the first stars and galaxies that formed in the Universe, more than 13 billion years ago;
2. A comparative study of bright spiral and elliptical galaxies, as well as fainter early galaxies;
3. Probing of outer space, allowing us to look through clouds of gas and dust to study the formation of stars and planets;
4. Study of exoplanets and their atmospheres, as well as the discovery of biomarkers there.

That is, this is quite an impressive list, even in an era when people take technological and scientific progress for granted. But along with these planned goals, there will no doubt be some surprises. Guessing this might be a stupid thing to do, but let's try anyway.

We believe that the process of abiogenesis on Earth occurred quite quickly, but, unfortunately, we have nothing to compare with. Will we find analogies when studying distant exoplanets and their atmospheres, will we shed light on the conditions necessary for the emergence of life? It seems incredible, but who knows.

We are sure that the Universe is expanding, and there is pretty convincing evidence for this. Will we learn anything new about this process? Or will we find something that sheds light on dark matter or dark energy and its role in the life of the early Universe?

Of course, not everything has to be amazing to be exciting. Finding evidence that would support current theories is also intriguing. And “James Webb” must provide us with this evidence.

There is no doubt that JWST will be able to outperform the Hubble telescope. But for a generation or two of people, Hubble will always have a special place. He amazed and intrigued many of us with his breathtaking images of nebulae, galaxies and other objects during his famous Deep Field mission, and, of course, with his scientific research. Hubble is probably the first telescope to achieve celebrity status.

James Webb will probably never receive the special status that Hubble has acquired. It's something like: “There can only be one Beatle” or “one of a kind.” But JWST will be a much more powerful instrument, and will reveal to us much that was not available to Hubble.

If all goes according to plan, JWST will be a monumental technological achievement for all of humanity. Its ability to peer through clouds of gas and dust, or look back in time to show us the early days of the universe, will make it a powerful scientific tool.

James Webb Telescope

Space telescopes will always be at the forefront of space exploration - they are not hampered by distortions and cloudiness, or vibrations and noise on the surface of the planet. It was extraterrestrial devices that made it possible to obtain detailed and beautiful photographs of distant nebulae and galaxies that are not even visible to the human eye in the night sky. However, in 2018, a new era in space exploration will begin, which will push further the visible boundaries of the Universe - the James Webb Space Telescope, an industry record holder, will be launched. Moreover, it breaks records not only in terms of characteristics: the cost of the project today reaches 8.8 billion dollars.

Before talking about the structure and functionality of the James Webb, it’s worth understanding what it’s for. It would seem that the study of the Universe is hampered by just the Earth’s atmosphere, and you can simply deliver a telescope with a camera attached to it into orbit and enjoy life. But at the same time, “James Webb” has been in development for more than a decade, and the final budget, even at the early projection stage, exceeded the cost of its predecessor! Therefore, an orbital telescope is something more complex than an amateur telescope on a tripod, and its discoveries will be hundreds of times more valuable. But what is so special that can be explored with a telescope, especially a space one?

By raising your head to the sky, everyone can see the stars. But studying objects billions of kilometers distant is a rather difficult task. The light of stars and galaxies, which travels over millions or even billions of years, undergoes significant changes - or even does not reach us at all. Thus, dust clouds, which are often common in galaxies, are capable of completely absorbing all the visible radiation of a star. The constant expansion of the Universe leads to light - its waves become longer, changing the range towards red, or invisible infrared. And the radiance of even the largest objects, having flown a distance of billions of light years, becomes like the light of a flashlight among hundreds of searchlights - detecting ultra-distant galaxies requires devices of unprecedented sensitivity.

Illustration copyright NASA Image caption Since October last year, the telescope's scientific instruments have been tested in the Goddard Center's vacuum chamber.

Work to prepare for the launch of the successor to the Hubble orbital telescope, the James Webb Space Observatory, has entered a decisive stage.

NASA engineers are finishing assembling the main mirror of the new telescope. The launch of the new telescope is now planned for October 2018.

Cryogenic tests and calibration of the four main blocks of the telescope's scientific equipment are also being completed.

NASA's project to launch a new orbital observatory has thus entered its final stage, and the remaining pre-launch phases can be expected to be rapidly completed in the coming months.

The telescope is planned to be launched using the European Ariane 5 launch vehicle, which determined many design features of the telescope, in particular the fact that its main mirror consists of segments.

The James Webb Orbital Telescope, named after the second head of NASA, is funded by the US Aerospace Agency, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.

The primary objectives of the new telescope are to detect the light of the first stars and galaxies formed after the Big Bang, study the formation and development of galaxies, stars, planetary systems and the origin of life. Webb will also be able to talk about when and where the reionization of the Universe began and what caused it.

The telescope will make it possible to detect relatively cold exoplanets with surface temperatures of up to 300 K (which is almost equal to the surface temperature of the Earth), located further than 12 astronomical units (AU) from their stars and at a distance of up to 15 light years from Earth.

More than two dozen stars closest to the Sun will fall into the detailed observation zone. Thanks to the new telescope, a real breakthrough in exoplanetology is expected - the capabilities of the telescope will be sufficient not only to detect the exoplanets themselves, but even the satellites and spectral lines of these planets, which will be an unattainable indicator for any ground-based and orbital telescope until the early 2020s , when the European Extremely Large Telescope with a mirror diameter of 39.3 m is commissioned.

The telescope will operate for at least five years.

In recent weeks, NASA engineers have been busy gluing beryllium primary mirror segments to the mirror's supporting structure.

Over the next few days, the last two octagonal segments will be installed in the desired position for fastening.

Meanwhile, in the adjacent room of the Goddard Center in Maryland, next to the assembly shop, cryogenic-vacuum tests of the scientific equipment of the future telescope are being completed.

James Webb will have the following scientific instruments for space exploration:

• Near-Infrared Camera;
• Device for working in the mid-range of infrared radiation (Mid-Infrared Instrument);
• Near-Infrared Spectrograph;
• Fine Guidance Sensor/Near InfraRed Imager and Slitless Spectrograph.

Since October last year, these devices have been in a vacuum chamber, the temperature in which has been reduced to minus 233 degrees Celsius.

Instrument calibration data has already been obtained, which will be of great importance for controlling the telescope in deep space.

These tests helped identify a number of defects and replace unreliable equipment and parts. The telescope has 250 thousand covers and shutters, some of which have the unpleasant defect of “sticking” in a vacuum under the influence of vibrations when launched from Earth.

The vibration of the launch vehicle was simulated during the current tests, and the replaced parts proved to have increased reliability.

It remains to carry out more general optical, vibration and acoustic tests of all telescope systems.

The mirror and scientific instruments will then be transported to the Johnson Center for further cryogenic-vacuum testing in a chamber that was built in the 1960s to test Apollo rocketry. These tests will begin in about a year.

After their completion, a control systems module will be attached to the telescope, in which on-board computers and communication systems will be installed.

The last step will be to install a giant solar shield the size of a tennis court on the telescope, which will protect the optical systems from exposure to sunlight.

It won't be long until October 2018.