Journal Article

The James Webb Space Telescope Mission: Optical Telescope Element Design, Development, and Performance

Bluth, Marcel, Flagey, Nicolas, Hahn, Walter G., Niedner, Malcolm B., Olczak, Eugene, Brown, Bob, Gilman, Larry, Hagopian, John G., Hellekson, Robert, Texter, Scott C., Seo, Byoung-Joon, Huguet, Jesse A., Terlecki, Todd, Haase, Shari, Holfeltz, Sherie T., Murphy, Jess, Kennard, Scott, Pueyo, Laurent, Keski-Kuha, Ritva A., Bowers, Charles W., Johnson, Leslie A., Kegley, Jeffrey R., Coon, Matthew, Mosier, Gary E., Dean, Bruce H., Rifelli, Rich, McElwain, Michael W., Clampin, Mark, Jurling, Alden S., Howard, Joseph M., Nol, Darin M., Wolf, Erin, Acton, D. Scott, Stark, Christopher C., Atkinson, Charles, Beck, Tracy, Vila, Begoña, Grieco, John, Mountain, C. Matt, Lightsey, Paul, Rigby, Jane R., Bergkoetter, Matthew D., Lallo, Matthew D., Carey, Larkin, Sohn, Sangmo Tony, Barinek, Beth, Osborne, Shannon B., Zielinski, Thomas P., Mather, John C., Smith, Erin C., Luetgens, Robert A., Chayer, Pierre, Scorse, Thomas R., Havey, Keith A., Eisenhower, Michael, Basinger, Scott, Ohl, Raymond G., Glassman, Tiffany, Jahne, Brian, Coppock, Eric, Feinberg, Lee D., Hicks, Brian, Barto, Allison, Levine, Marie B., Carrasquilla, Mar

2023

Overview

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a large, infrared space telescope that has recently started its science program which will enable breakthroughs in astrophysics and planetary science. Notably, JWST will provide the very first observations of the earliest luminous objects in the universe and start a new era of exoplanet atmospheric characterization. This transformative science is enabled by a 6.6 m telescope that is passively cooled with a 5 layer sunshield. The primary mirror is comprised of 18 controllable, low areal density hexagonal segments, that were aligned and phased relative to each other in orbit using innovative image-based wave front sensing and control algorithms. This revolutionary telescope took more than two decades to develop with a widely distributed team across engineering disciplines. We present an overview of the telescope requirements, architecture, development, superb on-orbit performance, and lessons learned. JWST successfully demonstrates a segmented aperture space telescope and establishes a path to building even larger space telescopes.

• Publisher: The Astronomical Society of the Pacific,IOP Publishing Ltd,IOP Publishing
• Subject: Algorithms / Astrophysics / Control algorithms / Extrasolar planets / Infrared observatories / Infrared telescopes / Lunar and Planetary Science and Exploration / Space telescopes / Telescopes