James Webb Space Telescope reaches new milestone

>> NA SA S CI EN TI ST S AR E ON E ST EP >>> NASA SCIENTISTS ARE ONE STEP >>> NASA SCIENTISTS ARE ONE STEP CL OS ER T O UN LO CK IN G TH E SE CR ET S CLOSER TO UNLOCKING THE SECRETS CLOSER TO UNLOCKING THE SECRETS OF T HE U NI VE RS E. OF THE UNIVERSE. OF THE UNIVERSE. TH E JA ME S WE BB S PA CE T EL ES CO PE THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE CO MP LE TE D IT S FI NA L DE PL OY ME NT COMPLETED ITS FINAL DEPLOYMENT COMPLETED ITS FINAL DEPLOYMENT SE QU EN CE Y ES TE RD AY . SEQUENCE YESTERDAY. SEQUENCE YESTERDAY. >> M OR E TH AN T WO W EE KS A FT ER >> MORE THAN TWO WEEKS AFTER >> MORE THAN TWO WEEKS AFTER LA UN CH IN G FR OM S OU TH A ME RI CA , LAUNCHING FROM SOUTH AMERICA, LAUNCHING FROM SOUTH AMERICA, TH E WE BB T EL ES CO PE I S CL OS ER T O THE WEBB TELESCOPE IS CLOSER TO THE WEBB TELESCOPE IS CLOSER TO TR AN SM IT TI NG I MA GE S BA CK T O TRANSMITTING IMAGES BACK TO TRANSMITTING IMAGES BACK TO EA RT H AN D AL LO WI NG R ES EA RC HE RS EARTH AND ALLOWING RESEARCHERS EARTH AND ALLOWING RESEARCHERS TO S TU DY S TA RS I N OU R GA LA XY . TO STUDY STARS IN OUR GALAXY. TO STUDY STARS IN OUR GALAXY. TH E PR ES ID EN T OF E XP LO RE M AR S THE PRESIDENT OF EXPLORE MARS THE PRESIDENT OF EXPLORE MARS IN C, G OO D TO H AV E YO U HE RE . INC, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE. INC, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE. WE U ND ER ST AN D TH IS I S TH E MO ST WE UNDERSTAND THIS IS THE MOST WE UNDERSTAND THIS IS THE MOST PO WE RF UL O F TE LE SC OP ES E VE R, A ND POWERFUL OF TELESCOPES EVER, AND POWERFUL OF TELESCOPES EVER, AND IT I S NO W, F OR TU NA TE LY T HI S IT IS NOW, FORTUNATELY THIS IT IS NOW, FORTUNATELY THIS MO RN IN G, A S OF – – IT ‘S F UL LY MORNING, AS OF — IT’S FULLY MORNING, AS OF — IT’S FULLY DE PL OY ED , BU T TH E NE XT C OU PL E DEPLOYED, BUT THE NEXT COUPLE DEPLOYED, BUT THE NEXT COUPLE WE EK S AR E GO IN G TO B E CR IT IC AL WEEKS ARE GOING TO BE CRITICAL WEEKS ARE GOING TO BE CRITICAL BE CA US E IT ‘S S TI LL T RA VE LI NG ? BECAUSE IT’S STILL TRAVELING? BECAUSE IT’S STILL TRAVELING? >> I T’ S ST IL L TR AV EL IN G. >> IT’S STILL TRAVELING. >> IT’S STILL TRAVELING. TH AN K YO U, C HR IS TI A ND B OR IS . THANK YOU, CHRISTI AND BORIS. THANK YOU, CHRISTI AND BORIS. IT ‘S G RE AT T O YO U WI TH Y OU . IT’S GREAT TO YOU WITH YOU. IT’S GREAT TO YOU WITH YOU. WE A RE C EL EB RA TI NG . WE ARE CELEBRATING. WE ARE CELEBRATING. LE T’ S JU ST G O OV ER T HI S. LET’S JUST GO OVER THIS. LET’S JUST GO OVER THIS. 50 M AJ OR D EP LO YM EN TS A RE 50 MAJOR DEPLOYMENTS ARE 50 MAJOR DEPLOYMENTS ARE CO MP LE TE . COMPLETE. COMPLETE. TH IS T HI NG , EV ER YT HI NG H AD T O THIS THING, EVERYTHING HAD TO THIS THING, EVERYTHING HAD TO WO RK P ER FE CT LY , AN D IT H AS . WORK PERFECTLY, AND IT HAS. WORK PERFECTLY, AND IT HAS. TH AT ‘S W HA T MA KE S TH IS W HO LE THAT’S WHAT MAKES THIS WHOLE THAT’S WHAT MAKES THIS WHOLE TH IN G EV EN M OR E AM AZ IN G. THING EVEN MORE AMAZING. THING EVEN MORE AMAZING. 17 8 RE LE AS E ME CH AN IS MS W ER E 178 RELEASE MECHANISMS WERE 178 RELEASE MECHANISMS WERE PR OP ER LY R EL EA SE D. PROPERLY RELEASED. PROPERLY RELEASED. YE ST ER DA Y, T HE Y WE RE D OW N TO T HE YESTERDAY, THEY WERE DOWN TO THE YESTERDAY, THEY WERE DOWN TO THE LA ST F OU R TO G ET T HA T FI NA L WI NG LAST FOUR TO GET THAT FINAL WING LAST FOUR TO GET THAT FINAL WING OF T HE M IR RO R AN D AF TE R TH AT W AS OF THE MIRROR AND AFTER THAT WAS OF THE MIRROR AND AFTER THAT WAS DE PL OY ED S UC CE SS FU LL Y, T HE Y DEPLOYED SUCCESSFULLY, THEY DEPLOYED SUCCESSFULLY, THEY SP EN T HO UR S LA TC HI NG I T IN SPENT HOURS LATCHING IT IN SPENT HOURS LATCHING IT IN PL AC E. PLACE. PLACE. 20 Y EA RS – – 20 P LU S YE AR S OF 20 YEARS — 20 PLUS YEARS OF 20 YEARS — 20 PLUS YEARS OF WO RK R EA LI ZE D. WORK REALIZED. WORK REALIZED. TH E JA ME S WE BB I S AB IL IT Y THE JAMES WEBB IS ABILITY THE JAMES WEBB IS ABILITY 60 0, 00 0 MI LE S TO WA RD S IT S TA RG ET 600,000 MILES TOWARDS ITS TARGET 600,000 MILES TOWARDS ITS TARGET AT L -2 A ND P EO PL E AL WA YS A SK M E, AT L-2 AND PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK ME, AT L-2 AND PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK ME, WH AT E XA CT LY I S LA G RA NG E 2. WHAT EXACTLY IS LA GRANGE 2. WHAT EXACTLY IS LA GRANGE 2. IT ‘S T HI S BE AU TI FU L AC CI DE NT O F IT’S THIS BEAUTIFUL ACCIDENT OF IT’S THIS BEAUTIFUL ACCIDENT OF OR BI TA L ME CH AN IC S AN D GR AV IT Y ORBITAL MECHANICS AND GRAVITY ORBITAL MECHANICS AND GRAVITY BE TW EE N TH E SU N AN D EA RT H WH ER E BETWEEN THE SUN AND EARTH WHERE BETWEEN THE SUN AND EARTH WHERE IF Y OU P UT A NY TH IN G RI GH T TH ER E IF YOU PUT ANYTHING RIGHT THERE IF YOU PUT ANYTHING RIGHT THERE AT L 2 I T’ S GO IN G TO S TA Y AT AT L 2 IT’S GOING TO STAY AT AT L 2 IT’S GOING TO STAY AT TH IS F IX ED P OI NT , AN D SO N OW I N THIS FIXED POINT, AND SO NOW IN THIS FIXED POINT, AND SO NOW IN TH E NE XT T WO W EE KS , AS I T GE TS THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, AS IT GETS THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, AS IT GETS TO T HI S PL AC E AB OU T A MI LL IO N TO THIS PLACE ABOUT A MILLION TO THIS PLACE ABOUT A MILLION MI LE S AW AY F RO M EA RT H, Y OU ‘R E MILES AWAY FROM EARTH, YOU’RE MILES AWAY FROM EARTH, YOU’RE GO IN G TO S EE A LL O F TH E GOING TO SEE ALL OF THE GOING TO SEE ALL OF THE EN GI NE ER S AR E GO IN G TO B E ENGINEERS ARE GOING TO BE ENGINEERS ARE GOING TO BE WO RK IN G RE AL LY H AR D TO S EE T HE SE WORKING REALLY HARD TO SEE THESE WORKING REALLY HARD TO SEE THESE 18 H ON EY CO MB S GE T TO B E TH IS O NE 18 HONEYCOMBS GET TO BE THIS ONE 18 HONEYCOMBS GET TO BE THIS ONE MI RR OR . MIRROR. MIRROR. IT W IL L TA KE T HE N EX T FI VE IT WILL TAKE THE NEXT FIVE IT WILL TAKE THE NEXT FIVE MO NT HS F OR T HE M TO L IK E RE AL LY MONTHS FOR THEM TO LIKE REALLY MONTHS FOR THEM TO LIKE REALLY GE T AL L OF T HO SE 1 26 O OK T U GET ALL OF THOSE 126 OOK TU GET ALL OF THOSE 126 OOK TU WA IT ER S IN T OT AL T O LI KE H AV E WAITERS IN TOTAL TO LIKE HAVE WAITERS IN TOTAL TO LIKE HAVE AL L OF T HE SE I ND IV ID UA L MI RR OR S ALL OF THESE INDIVIDUAL MIRRORS ALL OF THESE INDIVIDUAL MIRRORS AC T AS O NE . ACT AS ONE. ACT AS ONE. WE ‘R E GO IN G TO S EE B AC K TO T HA T WE’RE GOING TO SEE BACK TO THAT WE’RE GOING TO SEE BACK TO THAT BE GI NN IN G OF L ET T HE RE B E LI GH T BEGINNING OF LET THERE BE LIGHT BEGINNING OF LET THERE BE LIGHT MO ME NT A ND I T’ S GO IN G TO B E MOMENT AND IT’S GOING TO BE MOMENT AND IT’S GOING TO BE SO ME TH IN G. SOMETHING. SOMETHING. WE D ON ‘T E VE N KN OW E XA CT LY W HA T WE DON’T EVEN KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE DON’T EVEN KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YE T. YET. YET. BU T GE T TH IS , IT ‘S 1 00 T IM ES BUT GET THIS, IT’S 100 TIMES BUT GET THIS, IT’S 100 TIMES MO RE P OW ER FU L TH AN T HE H UB BL E MORE POWERFUL THAN THE HUBBLE MORE POWERFUL THAN THE HUBBLE TE LE SC OP E. TELESCOPE. TELESCOPE. SO W E’ RE G OI NG T O BE A BL E TO S EE SO WE’RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE SO WE’RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE TH OS E KI ND O F FI RS T GA LA XI ES A ND THOSE KIND OF FIRST GALAXIES AND THOSE KIND OF FIRST GALAXIES AND ST AR S TH AT F OR ME D AN D I TH IN K STARS THAT FORMED AND I THINK STARS THAT FORMED AND I THINK WE ‘R E GO IN G TO A LL H AV E AN WE’RE GOING TO ALL HAVE AN WE’RE GOING TO ALL HAVE AN AM AZ IN G AH -H A MO ME NT . AMAZING AH-HA MOMENT. AMAZING AH-HA MOMENT. PE R CH AN CE , EV EN M AY BE I T’ S PER CHANCE, EVEN MAYBE IT’S PER CHANCE, EVEN MAYBE IT’S GO IN G TO E IT HE R AN SW ER S OM E OF GOING TO EITHER ANSWER SOME OF GOING TO EITHER ANSWER SOME OF OU R BI GG ES T CO SM IC Q UE ST IO NS O R OUR BIGGEST COSMIC QUESTIONS OR OUR BIGGEST COSMIC QUESTIONS OR EV EN A DD M OR E TO O UR C OS MI C EVEN ADD MORE TO OUR COSMIC EVEN ADD MORE TO OUR COSMIC QU ES TI ON S. QUESTIONS. QUESTIONS. >> T HA T’ S RI GH T. >> THAT’S RIGHT. >> THAT’S RIGHT. I LO VE T HE E NT HU SI AS M, T HE I LOVE THE ENTHUSIASM, THE I LOVE THE ENTHUSIASM, THE MO DE L, T HE B AC KG RO UN D, A ND T HE MODEL, THE BACKGROUND, AND THE MODEL, THE BACKGROUND, AND THE WA Y TH AT Y OU E XP LA IN I T. WAY THAT YOU EXPLAIN IT. WAY THAT YOU EXPLAIN IT. I’ VE H EA RD T HI S TE LE SC OP E I’VE HEARD THIS TELESCOPE I’VE HEARD THIS TELESCOPE DE SC RI BE D AS A S OR T OF T IM E DESCRIBED AS A SORT OF TIME DESCRIBED AS A SORT OF TIME MA CH IN E BE CA US E IT A LL OW S US T O MACHINE BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO MACHINE BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO LO OK B AC K AT T HE W AY T HA T LI GH T LOOK BACK AT THE WAY THAT LIGHT LOOK BACK AT THE WAY THAT LIGHT AN D TH E MA TE RI AL I N SP AC E SO RT AND THE MATERIAL IN SPACE SORT AND THE MATERIAL IN SPACE SORT OF U NF OL DE D IN TO H OW I T IS OF UNFOLDED INTO HOW IT IS OF UNFOLDED INTO HOW IT IS TO DA Y. TODAY. TODAY. HO W IS T HA T PO SS IB LE ? HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? >> W EL L, T HI S IS T HE I NC RE DI BL E >> WELL, THIS IS THE INCREDIBLE >> WELL, THIS IS THE INCREDIBLE IN GE NU IT Y OF T HE J AM ES W EB B. INGENUITY OF THE JAMES WEBB. INGENUITY OF THE JAMES WEBB. IT I S US IN G IN FR AR ED E NE RG Y AN D IT IS USING INFRARED ENERGY AND IT IS USING INFRARED ENERGY AND IN FR AR ED T EC HN OL OG Y. INFRARED TECHNOLOGY. INFRARED TECHNOLOGY. WH EN W E HA VE I NF RA RE D WA VE S HA VE WHEN WE HAVE INFRARED WAVES HAVE WHEN WE HAVE INFRARED WAVES HAVE LO NG ER W AV E LE NG TH S TH AN V IS IB LE LONGER WAVE LENGTHS THAN VISIBLE LONGER WAVE LENGTHS THAN VISIBLE LI GH T AN D SO W HE N YO U’ RE U SI NG LIGHT AND SO WHEN YOU’RE USING LIGHT AND SO WHEN YOU’RE USING IN FR AR ED , TH IN K AB OU T IT G OI NG INFRARED, THINK ABOUT IT GOING INFRARED, THINK ABOUT IT GOING DE EP ER A ND F UR TH ER A LM OS T LI KE DEEPER AND FURTHER ALMOST LIKE DEEPER AND FURTHER ALMOST LIKE AN X -R AY , RI GH T. AN X-RAY, RIGHT. AN X-RAY, RIGHT. IT ‘S G OI NG T O BE A BL E TO S EE IT’S GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE IT’S GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE TH RO UG H TH E DE NS E RE GI ON S OF G AS THROUGH THE DENSE REGIONS OF GAS THROUGH THE DENSE REGIONS OF GAS AN D DU ST A ND T HA T KI ND O F AND DUST AND THAT KIND OF AND DUST AND THAT KIND OF IN FR AR ED E NE RG Y IS G OI NG T O INFRARED ENERGY IS GOING TO INFRARED ENERGY IS GOING TO RE VE AL O BJ EC TS W E’ VE N EV ER B EE N REVEAL OBJECTS WE’VE NEVER BEEN REVEAL OBJECTS WE’VE NEVER BEEN AB LE T O SE E. ABLE TO SEE. ABLE TO SEE. ON E OF T HE R EA SO NS T HE S UN ONE OF THE REASONS THE SUN ONE OF THE REASONS THE SUN SH IE LD L IK E HA D TO D EP LO Y, I T’ S SHIELD LIKE HAD TO DEPLOY, IT’S SHIELD LIKE HAD TO DEPLOY, IT’S LI KE F RO M TH E SU N, K IN D OF T HE LIKE FROM THE SUN, KIND OF THE LIKE FROM THE SUN, KIND OF THE SU N SH IE LD S ID E TO T HE C OL D SUN SHIELD SIDE TO THE COLD SUN SHIELD SIDE TO THE COLD SI DE , TH ER E’ S AB OU T A 60 0 DE GR EE SIDE, THERE’S ABOUT A 600 DEGREE SIDE, THERE’S ABOUT A 600 DEGREE DI FF ER EN TI AL A ND T HE SE I NF RA RE D DIFFERENTIAL AND THESE INFRARED DIFFERENTIAL AND THESE INFRARED IN ST RU ME NT S HA VE T O HA VE I T INSTRUMENTS HAVE TO HAVE IT INSTRUMENTS HAVE TO HAVE IT CO LD , SU PE R CO LD , MI NU S 2, COLD, SUPER COLD, MINUS 2, COLD, SUPER COLD, MINUS 2, NE AR LY M IN US 2 00 D EG RE ES A ND NEARLY MINUS 200 DEGREES AND NEARLY MINUS 200 DEGREES AND TH AT I S BE CA US E IT ‘S L IK E EV EN THAT IS BECAUSE IT’S LIKE EVEN THAT IS BECAUSE IT’S LIKE EVEN AF TE R TH E WE BB G ET S IN P LA CE I N AFTER THE WEBB GETS IN PLACE IN AFTER THE WEBB GETS IN PLACE IN A CO UP LE O F WE EK S, I T’ S GO IN G TO A COUPLE OF WEEKS, IT’S GOING TO A COUPLE OF WEEKS, IT’S GOING TO TA KE A W HI LE F OR I T TO C OO L TAKE A WHILE FOR IT TO COOL TAKE A WHILE FOR IT TO COOL DO WN . DOWN. DOWN. AG AI N, W E’ RE G OI NG T O BE A BL E TO AGAIN, WE’RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO AGAIN, WE’RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO LI KE B EC AU SE I T’ S SO C OL D, L IK E LIKE BECAUSE IT’S SO COLD, LIKE LIKE BECAUSE IT’S SO COLD, LIKE GE T RI D OF A NY K IN D OF GET RID OF ANY KIND OF GET RID OF ANY KIND OF BA CK GR OU ND N OI SE A ND T HO SE BACKGROUND NOISE AND THOSE BACKGROUND NOISE AND THOSE IM AG ES W IL L BE P RI ST IN E AN D WH AT IMAGES WILL BE PRISTINE AND WHAT IMAGES WILL BE PRISTINE AND WHAT WE W IL L BE S EE IN G WI LL B E TR UL Y WE WILL BE SEEING WILL BE TRULY WE WILL BE SEEING WILL BE TRULY ST EL LA R. STELLAR. STELLAR. >> V ER Y NI CE . >> VERY NICE. TR UL Y ST EL LA R.