Earlier quoted context omitted.
With Hubbles's highest resolution optics, the JWST will be about one-tenth the size of a pixel.
How can it make out galaxies at billions of light years away, but not a truck sized craft at a few million miles? I haven't done the math myself, so I'm certain one side of that equation is wrong, but that seems hard to believe!
James Webb is fully deployed
271–280 of 522 posts
Re: James Webb is fully deployed
#272More great news. Congratulations to all who have worked on the project. I understand the reasons for not putting a camera on or near the JWST, but I’m still a little sad that we’ll probably never get to see the thing in situ in all its operational glory. Maybe one day when it finally expires, we can launch a “sample return” mission to tow it back.
Re: James Webb is fully deployed
#273Earlier quoted context omitted.
How can it make out galaxies at billions of light years away, but not a truck sized craft at a few million miles? I haven't done the math myself, so I'm certain one side of that equation is wrong, but that seems hard to believe!
It’s interesting that you are expressing an opinion about something that you could calculate in the same amount of time it took to write down that opinion.
Re: James Webb is fully deployed
#274Earlier quoted context omitted.
With Hubbles's highest resolution optics, the JWST will be about one-tenth the size of a pixel.
How can it make out galaxies at billions of light years away, but not a truck sized craft at a few million miles? I haven't done the math myself, so I'm certain one side of that equation is wrong, but that seems hard to believe!
JWST is three light seconds from earth
Re: James Webb is fully deployed
#275Earlier quoted context omitted.
Since L2 is an unstable equilibrium, won’t there also need to be routine adjustments throughout the mission?
Yes. Those adjustments, as well as unloading of the reaction wheels used to position JWST, and the fuel burns reqiured for them, are the principle determinants of the JWAT's lifespan, estimated at 10 years. Nasa have lowballed such estimates for numerous missions in the past (Hubble and numerous Mars lander and rover missions come to mind), and it's possible JWST will exceed the planned lifetime, potentially by a wid…
Re: James Webb is fully deployed
#276Earlier quoted context omitted.
It’s interesting that you are expressing an opinion about something that you could calculate in the same amount of time it took to write down that opinion.
It seems like they are going for the "the easiest way to get a right answer is give the wrong answer on the internet" approach.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ward_Cunningham#%22Cunningham'...
Re: James Webb is fully deployed
#277Earlier quoted context omitted.
With Hubbles's highest resolution optics, the JWST will be about one-tenth the size of a pixel.
How can it make out galaxies at billions of light years away, but not a truck sized craft at a few million miles? I haven't done the math myself, so I'm certain one side of that equation is wrong, but that seems hard to believe!
Re: James Webb is fully deployed
#278Earlier quoted context omitted.
Great blog post from NASA themselves explaining it: https://blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2022/01/06/why-doesnt-webb-have-... the post is really not very long and I would suggest getting it straight from the horse's mouth, but for those not willing to devote a click here are arguably the most relevant bits! "deployment surveillance cameras would not add significant information of value for engineering teams commanding the spac…
One thing they mentioned that kinda sends it home to me is that the telescope is aimed at the dark and away from the sun, and the other side is especially reflective[0]. In other words, one side is too dark to see, and the other is too bright to see. [0]: https://twitter.com/NASAWebb/status/1479161991252131841
Re: James Webb is fully deployed
#279Since 90% of the cost is probably in R+D of the telescope, one could build and deploy another for another 10%. Why isn't this done? Why is every space telescope completely unique?
Why spend money on JWST 2 when you could as well spend it on ... LUVOIR ? ^^ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_Ultraviolet_Optical_Infr...
Habitable Exoplanet Imaging Mission https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitable_Exoplanet_Imaging_Mi...
Lynx X-ray Observatory https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynx_X-ray_Observatory
Origins Space Telescope https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origins_Space_Telescope
Re: James Webb is fully deployed
#280More great news. Congratulations to all who have worked on the project. I understand the reasons for not putting a camera on or near the JWST, but I’m still a little sad that we’ll probably never get to see the thing in situ in all its operational glory. Maybe one day when it finally expires, we can launch a “sample return” mission to tow it back.
the plan as i understand it is to have a drone refuel it after about 10 years or so... that might have a camera on it perhaps?