Question & Answer
FAQs:
- Vital Facts
Fact sheet on the Webb Mission.
- FAQ Lite
The most popular questions about Webb. (General Public)
- FAQ Full
All the major aspects of the Webb Mission are covered here. (General Public)
- Technical FAQ
Technical FAQ on a variety of mission issues, aspects and capabilities. (Science/Technical)
- Solar System Observations FAQ
Technical FAQ specifically on Solar System observations. (Science/Technical)
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Q&A:
- Q & A with engineers cryo-testing the telescope. (new window)
- Lee Feinberg AMA: Optical Telescope Element Manager for Webb (new window)
Lee Feinberg talks about the top 3 things that Webb can do that Hubble cannot and more.
- Paul Geithner: Freezing NASA's Webb Telescope Is a Matter of Survival (new window)
Paul Geithner (Webb Deputy Project Manager, Technical) provides answers to questions about the kind of freezing temperatures the Webb telescope will endure in space. (General Public)
- Paul Geithner: Components & Structure of Webb (new window)
The Webb telescope is a showcase for new technologies. Recently Paul Geithner provided a closer look at the technologies on the observatory. (General Public)
- Paul Geithner: It's All About Infrared - Why Build Webb (new window)
Paul Geithner provides insight on why the Webb telescope focuses on the infrared. (General Public)
- Paul Geithner: James Webb Space Telescope Coming Together (new window)
Paul Geithner discusses progress, plans and next steps in building the Webb Telescope. (General Public)
- John Mather: "Ask Me Anything"
Dr. John Mather (Nobel Laureate and Webb Senior Project Scientist) answering questions on Reddit. (General Public)
- John Mather: Webb Q&A 1
Dr. John Mather captured on Twitter during our first Tweet Chat. (General Public)
- John Mather: Webb Q&A 2
Dr. John Mather captured on Twitter during our second Tweet Chat. (General Public)
- Mark Clampin: Exoplanets
Dr. Mark Clampin (Webb Observatory Project Scientist) answers questions about Webb and exoplanets.
- SXSW: Finding Life on Other Planets
During SXSW 2014, we held a tweet-chat with some of the scientists on the"First Signs: Finding Life on Other Planets" panel.
- Women of Webb Q&A
Women with diverse jobs on the James Webb Space Telescope answered questions about the female experience working on a NASA flagship mission in the TwoXChromosomes subreddit.
- Focus on XSTEM
During the USA Science & Engineering Festival in April 2014 and focused on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) topics.
- Sara Seeger: Search for Life Part 1 | Part 2
MIT's Dr. Sara Seager answered questions about exoplanets, the search for life, and the next technologies (like Webb!)
Tweet Chat on XSTEM
with Alberto Conti, Jason Kalirai, Amber Straughn, and Blake Bullock
This tweetchat occurred during the USA Science & Engineering Festival in April 2014 and focused on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) topics. Answering qustions were Alberto Conti, Jason Kalirai, Amber Straughn, and Blake Bullock.
The answers are very succint due to Twitter's 140 character limit (and we also added the #xstem and #xstemchat hashtags were used in the answers). Often the questions are rephrased in the answers so that our Twitter followers would know what we were giving the answer to.
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Wouldn't the first stars long since gone dark? (simonalden1)
We see stars as they were when the light was emitted, billions of years ago. (Alberto Conti)
How distant can these other planets be that #JWST will be able to find water on? (kellyvictorian)
#JWST will be able to see the closest planets orbiting around stars 100 light years from earth. (Alberto Conti)
What possibilities exist for co-operation of JWST and E-ELT science teams when it is built in 2022? (anonimowy)
Like @keckobservatory and @HubbleTelescope worked together, #JWST will closely work with telescopes like E-ELT. (Alberto Conti) ELTs will also be great for spectroscopic follow up of #JWST discoveries, like current 10-meters and #Hubble today. (Jason Kalirai)
How risky is JWST mission, 1 - 10? (psuritz)
We have 7 yr test pgm to make sure everything on #JWST works. Very difficult but @NASA does hard stuff! (Amber Straughn) We execute a pathfinder build & test: hardest parts created 1st then find least risky way to build elements that follow. (Blake Bullock) #JWST construction & testing also incorporates lessons learned from previous @NASA Great Observatories, like #Hubble.
Maybe the #JWST folks can answer, when is the package going to be vibration tested? And where will that be? (30acres1mule)
Next #JWST vibe test will be after CV2 (this summer). But, vibe tests of individual components throughout I&T. (Jason Kalirai) Observatory integration & test will be in 2017 when all elements have been assembled in CA before launch. (Blake Bullock)
Is there any option to stop the mission while near earth before it leaves for far side of moon? (cottager777)
When the @Arianespace rocket launches, it's a 1-way nonstop ticket to L2. A "one chance to get it right" moment! (Blake Bullock)
Do you validate each assembly going into the final major assembly and validate it, everything shakes 2x? (30acres1mule)
We'll do rigorous testing right up to our launch in 2018 [Editor's Note: launch currently scheduled for 2021] - gotta be on time for the big day! :-) (Blake Bullock)
What other science packages will fill the JWST unit? Anything newly developed? (30acres1mule)
There are four science instruments with a range of new technologies. More here: http://bit.ly/1faTTUw. Check out amazing microshutters that were newly developed for spectrograph on #JWST: http://1.usa.gov/1mLEcp2 (Amber Straughn)
What's the next major milestone for #JWST? (lovelyrita_mm)
Next up for #JWST is the 2nd cryo vacuum test of the instrument suite. (Jason Kalirai)
Are Aramids useful in spacecraft structures or are they too brittle due to temp fluxes/xrays etc in space? (30acres1mule)
The #JWST structure is made of carbon composite material in order to perform at its operating temperature of 40K. (Alberto Conti)
