With a Christmas Day liftoff from French Guiana, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope brings humanity one step closer to a new understanding of the universe, thanks to its partnership with Lockheed Martin. Playing a crucial role in the telescope’s mission is the Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam), an incredibly sensitive infrared camera built by Lockheed Martin. As Webb sets up in space, NIRCam will assist in aligning the telescope’s mirrors and capture science images throughout its mission.
Alison Nordt, Lockheed Martin’s space science and instrumentation director, expressed her excitement about NIRCam’s journey, which has been over two decades in the making and will contribute to rewriting the science books on our understanding of the universe. Developed by the Lockheed Martin and University of Arizona team at the Advanced Technology Center in Palo Alto, California, NIRCam will play a vital role in advancing the future of space imaging.
The Webb Space Telescope is designed to observe the universe’s oldest light, believed to have originated around 13.5 billion years ago. Over time, as the universe expands, this light has shifted into the infrared spectrum. To capture this incredibly distant and dim light, Webb’s large mirrors, combined with the precise optics of NIRCam, are necessary.
Before Webb can begin its observations, NIRCam’s initial task is to sense incoming infrared light and take images. These images will aid in aligning the telescope’s 18 primary mirror segments accurately. Achieving proper alignment is crucial for Webb to deliver crystal-clear images during its science mode.
To accomplish mirror alignment in early 2022, NIRCam utilizes a technique called wavefront sensing. By measuring the distortions that occur when particles of light encounter the telescope’s optics, NIRCam provides nanometric accurate data that guides the adjustments needed for proper alignment.
Operating in extreme conditions, NIRCam must maintain precision and stability in temperatures as low as -400°F. This frigid environment is necessary to prevent the observatory’s infrared radiation from interfering with the images. To ensure functionality in such harsh conditions, Lockheed Martin developed a new bonding technique for NIRCam’s optical lenses, preventing shifts in alignment caused by cold temperatures and launch vibrations.
After years of engineering and testing, the Lockheed Martin and University of Arizona team successfully integrated NIRCam onto Webb in 2014. Today, with the completion of the launch, Webb prepares for a groundbreaking decade of observations that will revolutionize our understanding of space for years to come.
As the world’s newest premier space science observatory, the Webb Space Telescope will unlock mysteries within our solar system, explore distant worlds around other stars, and delve into the origins and structures of the universe itself. Led by NASA in collaboration with the European Space Agency, the Canadian Space Agency, and various industry contributors, including Lockheed Martin, Webb represents a global effort to expand our knowledge of the cosmos.
Humanity eagerly anticipates the discoveries and revelations that await us as Webb embarks on its mission, thanks in part to the cutting-edge technology and decades of hard work behind NIRCam. With each new image captured by the telescope, we inch closer to unraveling the secrets of our universe and our place within it.
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