JWST NIRSpec Microshutters Assembly Unit Gets Replaced

  • Released Friday, February 13, 2015
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The installation of equipment into the James Webb Space Telescope requires patience and precision. To prepare for the installation of the actual flight equipment and ensure perfection in the installations, scientists need to practice with an identical test unit. Scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. are currently rehearsing with the placement of the Webb's Microshutter Array into the NIRSpec.

The microshutters are a new technology that was developed for the Webb telescope mission. The microshutter device is a key component Webb's Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec). NIRSpec is a powerful instrument that will record the spectra of light from distant objects. The microshutter device only lets light in from selected objects to shine through NIRSpec.



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NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

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This page was originally published on Friday, February 13, 2015.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:49 PM EDT.


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