NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has already attained a legendary status in the world of space exploration. So when it began its journey into deep space last month, the world was in awe, and engineers from NASA took the opportunity to snap a selfie with the telescope back in 2017. They knew it was destined for glory, and they knew it.
The selfie since then has become a reference point. Showing off the gigantic size and the sheer scale of the telescope, it is a perfect tribute to the thousands of individuals involved in making this telescope a reality. With a cumulative cost of billions of dollars, this telescope was launched off for its journey from a spaceport in French Guiana on 25th December 2021.
Luckily, as of now, everything is going according to plan. The spacecraft is in perfect shape and carrying out its highly tricky and technical maneuvers, which are imperative if the telescope is to operate as desired in the distant orbit of the Sun.
“Everything is hunky-dory and doing well now,” Amy Lo, a lead engineer for the telescope’s prime contractor, Northrop Grumman, during a press conference.
With its sunshield extended successfully over the weekend, it has achieved another milestone in space as it is of prime importance in keeping the scientific instruments safe and protected from harmful solar rays.
“The best thing for operations is boring, and that’s what we anticipate over the next three days, is to be boring,” project manager Bill Ochs said during the conference.
Well, we hope that it remains boring and the telescope manages to achieve its objective within the stipulated timeframe.
