>> WELL, SPECULATING NATURE.
>> WE'VE CROSSED THE SOLAR
SYSTEM.
WE CAN'T HELP IT.
IT'S AN ELEMENT OF THE FUTURE.
LIVES FAR BEYOND.
♪
>> IF WE CAN CREATE PURPOSE THEN
LET US FIND OURSELVES.
>> YOU'RE IN FOR AN
EXTRAORDINARY EVENT.
I'M MICHELLE THALLER AND THIS IS
LIVE COVERAGE AS WE CONTINUE THE
PROCESS OF COMMISSIONING THE
JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE.
THIS IS AN HISTORIC EVENT.
WEBB IS THE LARGEST SPACE
CONSERVATORY EVER LAUNCHED.
IT IS 50,000 MILES AWAY FROM
EARTH HEADED TO SYSTEM CALLED
L2.
ENGINEERS HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING A
STEP BY STEP TO UNFOLD ITS
CONFIGURATION.
THAT'S TODAY EVENT.
THIS IS COVERAGE OF A REALTIME
EVENT.
SO OPERATIONS ARE HAPPENING AS
WE SPEAK TO YOU.
I'M ACTUALLY HERE AT THE SPACE
TELL KOBE SCIENCE IN BALTIMORE.
ABOVE ME IS THE MISSION
OPERATION CENTER OR THE MOC.
BECAUSE THIS IS A REALTIME
EVENT, THE ACTUAL SCHEDULE AND
PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE ABLE TO TALK
TO US ALL OF THAT IS PRETTY MUCH
IN FLUX.
THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING.
THE ENGINEERS WILL DECIDE WHEN
THE BEST TIME TO SEND DIFFERENT
COMMANDS, WE'RE ALSO OPERATING
UNDER PRETTY AMAZING
CIRCUMSTANCES.
WE HAVE THIS INCREDIBLY
BEAUTIFUL SET BUILD AT THE
GODDARD SPACE CENTER.
AND THEN WE ARE ISOLATING AT
HOME WHICH IS WHY I'M ABLE TO
TALK TO YOU WITHOUT A MASK.
THIS SOMETHING WONDERFUL.
THIS IS SOMETHING REALLY
HISTORIC.
THIS COMMISSIONING UNFOLDING
VENT HAS NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.
WE WANT YOU ALL ALONG WITH US AS
WE DO THIS.
WE HOPE TO TAKE SOME OF YOUR
QUESTIONS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA
#UNFOLD THE UNIVERSE.
WE HOPE TO GET TO AS MANY
QUESTIONS AS WE CAN.
WE'RE GOING TO BE WATCHING LIFE
FOOTAGE FROM THE SCIENCE
INSTITUTE IN BALTIMORE.
WE HAVE REALTIME VISUALIZATION
WHICH IS AN ANIMATION OF SPACE
ON TELLMETRY, DATA COMING DOWN
TO TELL US WHAT CONFIGURATION
THE TELESCOPE IS IN.
EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE NO CAMERAS
FOR US TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON
TODAY, THIS ANIMATION WILL HELP
US TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON, AND
WHEN THIS MIRRORED WING GETS IN
PLACE.
THAT WILL ALLOW US TO FOLLOW
ALONG PRETTY MUCH AS IF WE'RE
THERE.
WE'LL JOIN A COLLECTION OF
EXPERTS TO EXPLAIN THE
SEPARATIONS--THE OPERATIONS, THE
ENGINEER, AND THIS TELESCOPE WAS
MADE TO ANSWER REALLY
EXTRAORDINARY QUESTIONS ABOUT
THE UNIVERSE AND OUR OWN
ORIGINS, WHERE EVERYTHING AROUND
US INCLUDING WHERE WE COME FROM,
AND THAT IS REALLY EXCITING.
WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN IS
THE REALTIME MISSION CENTER.
AND THIS OTE, OPERATION
VISUALATION TOOL.
IT'S BASED ON TELEMETRY, AND
WE'RE ABLE TO SEE 'DO THIS
REALTIME.
THIS IS ABOUT THREE LIGHT
SECONDS AWAY, SO THERE IS A TINY
DELAY, BUT THAT WON'T GET IN OUR
WAY OF COVERING THIS.
I'M GOING TO BE JOINED BY JULIE
VAN CAMPEN.
SHE'S THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONING
LEAD.
SHE'S GOING TO BE OUR EXPERT
GUIDE OF MUCH OF WHAT IS
HAPPENING AS THIS IS UNFOLDING.
JULIE, WELCOME, HOW ARE YOU
DOING?
>> I'M DOING GREAT, GOOD MORNING
TO YOU.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS--OH PLEASE.
>> THEY'RE DOING WELL
DOWNSTAIRS.
THEY'RE GETTING READY TO HAVE US
FOLLOW ALONG WITH THEM.
>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.
SO THE THING WE'RE GOING TO BE
DOING TODAY IS PRETTY SOON
THEY'RE GOING START UNFOLDING
THIS FINAL WING OF THE MIRROR.
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, WE'RE
GOING TO BE LISTENING TO
REALTIME CALLS, FROM THE MOC,
THE MISSION OPERATION CENTER.
AS YOU LOOK AT YOUR SCREEN, YOU
SEE THE MISSION OPERATION CENTER
ABOVE JULIE AND MYSELF.
THEN TO THE LEFT YOU SEE THIS
WONDERFUL SIMULATION.
YESTERDAY WE HAD THE DEPLOYMENT
OF THE FIRST OF THE SIDE WINGS
OF THE TELESCOPE WHICH HAPPENED
EXTREMELY SUCCESSFULLY.
AND TODAY WE'RE GOING TO DO THE
FINAL WING OF THE PRIMARY
MIRROR.
THROUGHOUT THE DAY, AS CALLS
COME FROM THE MOC, WE'RE GOING
TO BE PAUSING CONVERSATION.
PLEASE BEAR WITH US, WE MAY BE
MID CONVERSATION AND THEN WE'LL
HEAR COMMANDS FROM MISSION
CONTROL AND JULIE WILL BE OUR
GUIDE TO THAT.
IT MAY BE ROUGH AROUND THE
EDGES, BUT IT IS THE FUN PART OF
DOING THIS LIFE.
JULIE, GIVE US MORE BACKGROUND.
WHAT IS HAPPENING TODAY THAT
WE'RE WAITING FOR?
>> SURE, WHAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY
WORKING ON RIGHT NOW IS
CONFIGURING THE OBSERVATORY AND
SPECIFICALLY THE DEPLOYMENT
MOTOR AND ACTUATOR MOTOR OH TO
MAKE SURE THEY CHECK OUT BEFORE
WE USE THEM.
ONCE THEY CHECK IT OUT, THE
MIRRORS WILL BE HINGED OFF TO
THE SIDE.
AND THEN WE'LL USE THE
DEPLOYMENT MOTOR TO MOVE THE
MIRROR IN POSITION AND USE THE
ACTUATOR MOTOR TO LOCK IT IN
POSITION.
>> THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS
HAPPENING AT EXTREMELY COLD
TEMPERATURES.
I FORGET HOW MANY DAYS, BUT
WE'VE ALSO LOST TRACK OF TIME.
I HEARD YOU SAY YOU LOST TRACK
IF IT IS NIGHT OR DAY YOU'VE
BEEN IN THE COMMAND CENTER THIS
WHOLE TIME.
BUT WE HAVE THE SUNSHIELD
DEPLOYED, AND THAT FIVE-LAIRD
SUNSHIELD, EACH LAYER THE SIZE
OF A TENNIS COURT, IT HAS BEEN
COOLING IT DOWN FROM THE
SUNLIGHT.
THE MOTORS ARE OPERATING AT SUCH
LOW TEMPERATURES.
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> YES, THE MOTORS ARE DESIGNED
TO OPERATE AT THIS TEMPERATURE.
HOWEVER, WHAT WE DO DO IS HAVE
HEATERS ON THEM SO WE CAN WARM
THEM UP TO EXACTLY THE
TEMPERATURE WE WANT THEM AT FOR
THE DEPLOYMENT.
BECAUSE FOR CONTINGENCY YOU WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU COULD
HANDLE IT NO MATTER HOW LONG IT
TOOK TO TAKE OUT THE SUNSHIELD
AND GET THAT TENSION.
SO THE ACTUAL FINAL TEMPERATURES
OF THESE ASSEMBLIES COULD BE
VERY DIFFERENT AT THIS TIME
DEPENDING ON HOW QUICKLY OR
SLOWLY THE FIRST STEPS OF
DEPLOYMENT WENT.
WE HAVE HEATERS ON THESE MOTORS
AND SOME OF THE INTERFACES TO
MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AT THE
EXACT TEMPERATURE THAT WE KNOW
THEY CAN PERFORM VERY WELL SO WE
HAVE A VERY RELIABLE OPERATION
TODAY.
>> AND JUST GIVING PEOPLE A
SENSE OF WHAT COLD IS.
I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS PEOPLE
CAN DO IS FOLLOW ALONG ON THE
WEBSITE THAT IS WHERE IS WEBB.
YOU CAN SEE ITS JOURNEY TO L.2,
A MILLION MILES AWAY BEYOND THE
MOON.
AND THERE IS TEMPERATURE, WHAT
THE CURRENT TEMPERATURE IS BOTH
ON THE WARM SIDE OF THE
SUNSHIELD AND ON THE COOL SIDE.
WHAT IS OUR APPROXIMATE
OPERATING TEMPERATURE TODAY.
DO YOU KNOW, JULIE?
>> I DIDN'T LOOK SPECIFICALLY AT
IT TODAY AT THE OVER ALL
TELESCOPE TEMPERATURES.
BUT WE WERE RUNNING DOWN IN THE
STRUCTURAL TEMPERATURES GET TO
GO 130 KELVIN, WHICH I DON'T DO
THE CONVERSIONS IN MY HEAD.
[ CHUCKLING ]
>> KELVIN IS WHAT SCIENTISTS USE
AND IT'S ITS CELSIUS SCALE.
SCIENTISTS USE METRIC, AND ZERO
IS DEFINED AS ABSOLUTE ZERO.
IF SHE'S TALKING ABOUT
140 DEGREES ABOVE ABSOLUTE ZERO.
THAT'S SOMETHING UNDER
300-DEGREES OR SO.
RIGHT NOW AT THE MOC ARE THEY
CHECKING ON THE MOTORS?
WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
>> RIGHT NOW IN THE MOC, YES,
THEY'RE CHECKING OUT THE MOTORS.
THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN
ALIGNMENT TEST.
THEN WHAT THEY DO IS MAKE SURE
THAT THE MOTOR IS RIGHT IN THE
POSITION THEY WANT TO START IN.
>> RIGHT.
>> ONE THING THAT I WAS
SURPRISED AT IS HOW QUICKLY THAT
GOES.
TODAY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE
HOPEFULLY WHEN THEY GET THE
COMMAND IS A RELATIVELY QUICK
MOVEMENT OF THE MIRRORS.
IT TAKES ABOUT FOUR MINUTES OR
SO TO SWING THAT WING AROUND.
AND THEN AFTER THAT COMES A LONG
SERIES OF LOCKING IT INTO PLACE.
AS WE LOCK THE MIRROR IN PLACE,
THAT'S WHEN WE'LL HAVE A CHANCE
TO BRING ON LOTS OF GUESTS.
TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER
THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE
MISSION.
THAT'S PART OF OUR RUN DOWN
TODAY.
SO LET'S SEE HERE.
I GUESS RIGHT NOW WE'RE NOT
GETTING ANY CALLS AT THE MOMENT.
THAT'S ABOUT RIGHT IT'S ABOUT
FOUR MINUTES FOR THE MOVEMENT OF
THE MIRROR.
>> THE MOVEMENT OF THE MIRROR
TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES.
IT'S ALL THE SET UP, PREPARATION
AND DOUBLE CHECKS THAT THEY DO.
WHEN THEY FINALLY START TO MOVE
THE MIRROR, THEY'LL MOVE IT JUST
A SMALL AMOUNT, 1.3 DEGREES.
THEN THEY'LL STOP AND MAKE SURE
THAT EVERYTHING IS MOVING THE
WAY THEY WANT BEFORE THEY
COMPLETE THE MOVE OF THE MOTOR
ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE HARD
STOPS.
>> I COULD THINK MYSELF WHY THAT
IS SUCH A GOOD IDEA, BUT WHY
WOULD YOU MOVE THAT A LITTLE BIT
AND THEN GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE
LARGE MOVEMENT?
>> IF YOU HAD ANY CONCERNS ABOUT
YOUR MOTOR OR HINGE OR POSSIBLY
ANY SOFT STRUCTURE AROUND IT, IT
BEING EFFECTED BY THIS MOVE, YOU
WOULD WANT TO STOP AND EVALUATE
BEFORE YOU MOVE FURTHER,
POSSIBLY YOU NEEDED TO RUN YOUR
HEAT ARREST LITTLE BIT MORE OR
MAYBE BACK UP AND RETRY YOUR
MOVE IF YOU'RE NOT SEEING THE
EXPECTED RESULTS.
SO THERE IS A WHOLE SERIES OF
TELEMETRY THAT WE GET.
WE HAVE SO MUCH INSTRUMENTATION
ALL OVER THE TELESCOPE, WHETHER
IT IS MOTOR TELEMETRY, THERMAL
TELEMETRY, WHETHER IT IS
INDICATION THAT THE ENTIRE
SPACECRAFT--OH, NOW WE HEAR OUR
CONTROL ROOM.
SO AS YOU HEAR THE CONTROL ROOM
SPEAK, YOU'LL HEAR A COUPLE OF
PEOPLE TALKING A LOT.
OUR DEPLOYMENT LEAD, SHE'LL BE
WALKING THROUGH THE PROCEDURES
TO HAVE HANDLE ALL THE STEPS AND
GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH OUR
CONTROL CENTER, OUR OC IN THE
FRONT ROOM.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP PICTURE,
THAT WOULD BE THE PERSON AT THE
OH CLOSEST ROW ALL THE WAY TO
THE CENTER--IT WILL BE THE RIGHT
OF EVERYONE'S SCREEN, BUT SHE'S
IN THE CENTER.
SHE'S THE OPERATIONAL
CONTROLLER.
SHE WORKS WITH OUR DEPLOYMENT
LEAD TO WALK THROUGH ALL OF
TODAY'S PROCEDURE.
ONE BY ONE YOU'LL HEAR THEM TALK
BACK AND FORTH, CONFIRM
EVERYTHING ALONG THE WAY.
THEY'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT IS INTO
THE COMMAND LINE.
THAT MEANS WHAT HAS BEEN PUT
ONTO THE WORKSTATION IN FRONT OF
THEM.
BEFORE THE COMMAND IS SENT UP TO
THE OBSERVATORY, THE DEPLOYMENT
LEAVES AND IS VERIFIED THAT IT
IS WRITTEN PROPERLY AND IS READY
TO GO.
ONCE THEY HIT SEND, YOU'LL HEAR
A LOT OF TIMES THAT THE SCRIPT
HAS CONFIRMED THAT IT HAS BEEN
RECEIVED, AND THEN A LOT OF
TIMES ON WINDOWS, IT WILL SAY DO
YOU REALLY WANT TO DO THIS?
AND THEY'LL SAY YES.
>> I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE ABOUT
FOUR MINUTES FROM GETTING THE
COMMAND TO START RELEASE DEFIER,
AS THEY SAY.
THAT WILL BE HAPPENING REALLY
SOON.
ANOTHER PEOPLE THAT YOU HEAR
CALLED OUT, AND SOMETIMES IT'S
FUNNY TO HEAR IS MOM.
TELL US WHO THAT IS, JULIE.
>> THAT'S THE MISSION OPERATION
MANAGER.
AND YOU'LL HEAR HIM FROM TIME TO
TIME COME ON AND DO A POLL OF
ALL OF THE VARIOUS SUB SYSTEMS
THAT ARE SUPPORTING TODAY.
LIKE THE SPACECRAFT, THE
INSTRUMENT TEAM SO THAT EVERYONE
IS READY TO GO WITH THE MAJOR
STEP AS WE GO THROUGH OUR
DEPLOYMENT TODAY.
SO HE'S THE OVER ALL LEAD OF
BOTH FRONT AND BACK ROOMS.
WE'LL HAVE A SECOND BACK ROOM
CALLED THE SI ROOM THAT HAS THE
TEAM IN IT.
>> TELL US ABOUT BILL OAKES ROLE
IN THIS MISSION?
>> HE'S THE PROGRAM MANAGER, AND
HE'S OVER THE WHOLE PROGRAM FROM
THE TRACE SIDE, THE DEVELOPMENT
SIDE, EVERYBODY EVENTUALLY WORKS
FOR BILL AS YOU GO OUR CHAIN.
SO HE HAS BEEN GREAT, AND HE
PROBABLY DOESN'T EVEN KNOW THAT
HE'S CURRENTLY ON CAMERA.
>> SO, WHAT ARE--ONE OF THE
THINGS PEOPLE ARE ASKING BEFORE,
HOW ARE WE GETTING THIS
INFORMATION DOWN FROM THE
SPACECRAFT.
YOU MENTION THERE HAD IS
TELEMETRY AND THERE ARE
DETECTERS MEASURING THINGS
ELECTRICAL CURRENT AND
TEMPERATURE, BUT HOW IS THAT
DATA GETTING TO US?
>> O THAT'S AN INTERESTING
POINT.
SO WE HAVE ANTENNAS ON OUR
OBSERVATORY.
IF PEOPLE WERE WATCHING ALONG,
ONE OF OUR EARLIEST DEPLOYMENTS
WAS THE THE ANTENNAS.
SIGNAL IS TRANSMITTED TO THE
DEEP SPACE NETWORK.
THIS IS THE SAME NETWORK THAT WE
COMMUNICATE WITH THE MARS ROVER.
THERE IS ONE IN MADRID, THERE IS
ONE IN GOLD STONE, AND THESE
VERY LARGE DISHES THEN TAKE THAT
SIGNAL, CONVERT IT INTO
SOMETHING THAT CAN BE SENT ON A
GROUND NETWORK.
IT IS SENT BY GROUND ON THE
NETWORK TO THE SPACE SCIENCE
INSTITUTE.
ONCE IT COMES TO THE INSTITUTE,
IT GOES THROUGH A WHOLE SERIES
OF PROCESSING, THEN IT COMES UP
TO SCREENS AND MONITORS IN A
WAY--
>> COMMAND LINE LOOKS GOOD.
YOU'RE GOOD TO EXECUTE.
>> THAT WAS THE LAST SET OF
COMMANDS SENT TO GET THE MOTORS
READY BEFORE WE VERIFY THAT THE
MOTORS ARE READY BEFORE WE GO
AHEAD AND DO THE LAUNCH.
THE TOP VIEW WE HAVE OUR DEPUTY
MANAGER I'M NOT SURE WHAT HE'S
COMMISSIONING BUT HE'S THE
DEPUTY.
>> WE'RE ABOUT TWO MAINS YEAH
FROM FIRING.
WE'RE WATCHING THE UNFOLDING OF
THE PRIMARY MIRROR OF THE JAMES
WEBB TELESCOPE.
THEY SUCCESSFULLY UNFOLDED ONE
OF THE WINGS, THAT WAS THE
SUPPORT LEFT SIDE WING.
TODAY WE'RE DOING THE FINAL WING
WHICH WILL HOPEFULLY LEAVE THE
PRIMARY MIRROR COMPLETELY
EXTENDED AND UNFOLDED.
WE'RE JUST A FEW MINUTES AWAY
FROM THAT COMMAND, AND THEN
QUICKLY UNFOLDING OF THE
TELESCOPE.
YOU CAN SEE THE CONFIGURATION IS
ON THE LEFT SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN.
THIS IS A COMPUTER IMAGE BUT
THIS IS BASED ON REALTIME DATA
FROM THE OBSERVATORY.
THIS IS WHAT IT WOULD WILL BE
LIKE.
AND IT WOULD LOOK DARKER BECAUSE
THE SUNSHIELD NOW IS COMPLETELY
BLOCKING LIGHT FROM THE SUN AND
ANY HEAT FROM THE EARTH AND THE
MOON AND THE TELESCOPE IS
OPERATING VERY DARK AND VERY
COLD, AS IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO.
THE CALLS WILL BE TAKING
SHORTLY.
WE'LL TAKE A PAUSE IN
CONVERSATION AND BEGIN LISTENING
TO THE CALLS.
JULIE, AS WE HAVE TIME IN THE
CONVERSATION AS THE CALLS COME,
PLEASE STEP IN AND TELL US WHAT
THE COMMANDS MEAN AND BE OUR
INTERPRETER SO WE KNOW HOW THIS
PROCESS IS GOING.
>> SURE.
>> IT'S TREMENDOUSLY EXCITING
FOR ME.
I'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO
THIS QUITE LITERALLY FOR
DECADES.
MY FAMILY HAS WORKED ON THIS,
THIS IS A VERY PROUD AND
EXCITING MOMENT FOR ME.
IT HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE COUPLE
OF WEEKS.
>> JULIE, HOW ARE YOU FEELING.
YESTERDAY WE WERE SMILING A LOT
AS WE SAW THAT MOVE INTO PLACE,
BIG SMILES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS
TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT.
>> HERE WE GO.
>> I HAVE CONFIRMATION THAT THEY
AGREE THAT ALL MOVES LOOK GOOD.
WE'RE READY TO COMMAND LOCK
RELEASES.
WE'RE READY TO GO.
ALL CHANNELS VERIFIED.
THE COMMAND LINE LOOKS GOOD.
YOU'RE GOOD TO EXECUTE.
>> COPY THAT.
>> EXECUTING.
IT'S GOOD TO CONTINUE.
>> AT THIS POINT THEY'RE GOING
TO SEND A COMMAND, WHICH PUTS A
CURRENT THROUGH A FUSE WIRE AND
RELEASES THE LAUNCH LOCKS THAT
ARE HOLDING THE SIDE OF THE
MIRRORS BACK AGAINST THE
STRUCTURE OF THE BACKPLANE OF
THE MIRROR.
THAT WAS DONE.
IT WAS FOLDED UP LIKE ORIGAMI.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE SUNSHIELD
HAS BEEN DEPLOYED.
SO THE OF THIS IS TO BRING OUT
THE MIRRORS.
THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR TELESCOPE
MIRROR FULLY DEPLOYED.
>> THAT'S WHAT MAKES THIS SUCH
AN HISTORIC MOMENT.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT
WE'VE UNFOLDED SUCH A LARGE
SPACE OBSERVATORY.
FIRST CAME THE SUNSHIELD.
THEN THERE WAS THE SECONDARY
MIRROR.
THE FOCUSING MIRROR THAT HAD TO
COME OUT IN FRONT OF THE
TELESCOPE TO FOCUS THE LIGHT.
AND THEN YESTERDAY, THE FIRST OF
THE PRIMARY MIRROR SIDE
SEGMENTS, THE WINGS, AND THEN
TODAY THE SECOND ONE OF THAT.
THIS WILL NOT BE THE END TODAY
IN COMMISSIONING THE TELESCOPE.
THERE IS STILL MORE TO COME.
ONE OF THE MAJOR THINGS THAT
NEEDS TO HAPPEN NEXT IS THE
FOCUSING OF THE MIRROR.
THE MIRROR HAS 18 SEGMENTS THAT
ALL WORK INDEPENDENTLY AND CAN
ALL BE ADJUSTED INDEPENDENTLY.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT.
BUT THAT'S THE INCREDIBLE THING,
THIS LARGE OBSERVATORY WAS
FOLDED UP TO FIT IN THE ROCKET.
AND IT WAS LAUNCHED FROM KOUROU,
FRENCH GUIANA, AND NOWER WE'RE
UNFOLDING THE OBSERVATORY.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS
PARTICULAR PROCEDURE HAS BEEN
DONE IN SPACE, AND IT IS JUST
WONDERFUL TO WATCH.
SO YOU WERE MENTIONING THAT THE
CURRENT--IS THIS AN EXAMPLE OF
THE ACTUATORS THAT WE WERE
TALKING ABOUT BEFORE?
>> OBVIOUSLY AN AIR OF
EXCITEMENT, AND YOU KNOW,
CERTAINLY EVERYBODY IS A LITTLE
BIT--THE NERVES ARE ON EDGE, BUT
LOTS OF OPTIMISM, LOTS OF
EXCITEMENT, AND LOTS OF SMILES.
IT'S AN EMOTIONAL MOMENT.
>> EVERYONE HAS BEEN WORKING ON
THIS SINCE DAY OF LAUNCH.
THAT STARTED WITH THE VERY FIRST
ONE THAT WAS CAUGHT BY THE
ROCKET ITSELF, AS IT WAS FLOATED
AWAY FROM IT, THE UPPER STAGE,
AND IT'S BEEN NONSTOP DAY AFTER
DAY SINCE THEN.
HAVING EACH DEPLOYMENT COME
ALONG IN SERIES, EVERYONE HAS--
>> I CAN CONFIRM, EBB WE'RE
READY TO CONTINUE.
>> THERE IS THE STEP--
>> THE COMMAND LINE LOOKS GOOD.
THIS IS FOR OTE GROUP 8.
YOU'RE GOOD TO EXECUTE.
>> COPY.
>> EXECUTING.
>> AND YOU'RE GOOD TO CONTINUE.
>> WE'RE GOOD TO CONTINUE.
>> THERE IS A TOTAL OF FOUR
MELLOWISMS THAT DO THE LAUNCH
LOCK.
TWO ARE AT THE HINGE THAT IS
CLOSEST TO US IN THE DISPLAY,
THE JOINT.
ONE AT THE TOP, ONE AT THE
BOTTOM.
AND THEN TO HOLD THE WING BACK
TO KEEP IT FROM RATTLING DURING
LAUNCH.
>> I CAN CONFIRM YOU ARE GOOD TO
ARM.
>> WE ARE GOOD TO ARM.
>> I CAN CONFIRM ARMED WAITING
FOR THE COMMAND FREQUENCE TO BE
ENABLED.
>> EVERY SINGLE ONE--
>> ALL STATIONS ARE NEXT GO.
WILL FIRE OT E LRM GROUP, YOU'RE
GOOD TO FIRE.
ONE OF THE LAUNCH RELEASES,
WE'RE NOT ABLE TO MOVE THIS SIDE
OF THE MIRROR FORWARD INTO
POSITION.
SO THIS WOULD BE OUR LAST OF
THESE FOR SINGLE-POINT FAILURES.
THERE ARE OTHER SINGLE-POINT
FAILURES, AND SOME THAT STAY
WITH US FOR THE LIFE OF THE
MISSION, DIFFERENT AREAS OF
STRUCTURE OR MECHANISM THAT IS A
MECHANISM FAIL.
WE DON'T HAVE A SECOND PATH OF
LIGHT TO BRING THE LIGHT DOWN.
BUT THESE ARE MAJOR MILESTONES
IN GETTING THE OBSERVATORY INTO
ITS FINAL CONFIGURATION.
>> WELL, FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE
JOINING US, YOU'RE LOOKING AT
LIVE COVERAGE OF THE
COMMISSIONING OF THE JAMES WEBB
TELESCOPE.
WE'RE UNFOLDING THE MIRRORS.
JOINING ME IS JULIE VAN CAMPEN,
THE DEPUTY COMMUNICATIONING
ENGINEER.
YOU CAN SEE PEOPLE THERE EXCITED
AND HAPPY.
>> COPY, GLAD TO HAVE TO FOLLOW
ALONG AND SHARE YOUR ENTHUSIASM,
THAT'S AWESOME.
178, 178, CONGRATULATIONS.
>> THEY JUST FIRED.
>> ALL MECHANISMS HAVE FIRED.
ALL 178 OF THEM.
>> I SEE THAT THE IT IS
COMPLETED.
WE'RE READY TO CONTINUE.
STAND BY.
>> COPY THAT.
>> AND YOU CAN SEE INDICATIONS.
>> IT LOOKS GOOD.
YOU'RE GOOD TO EXECUTE.
>> COPY.
>> EXECUTING.
>> AND YOU'RE GOOD TO CONTINUE.
>> COPY THAT.
>> THE NEXT COUPLE OF STEPS ARE
GOING TO BE GETTING THE
DEPLOYMENT MOTORS READY AGAIN.
SO BEFORE THEY CHECK THEM OUT,
THEY HAD TO PUT THEM IN STAND BY
MODE WHERE THEY WERE DOING THE
FIRING.
THAT WAS THE SAFE CONFIGURATION
THAT YOU HEARD THE DEPLOYMENT
WOULD SPEAK TO.
NOW THEY'LL GET THEM BACK IN
CONFIGURATION, THEN THEY'LL GET
READY TO DO THEIR FIRST SMALL
MOVE.
>> I CAN CONFIRM STAND BY ROUND
ROBIN.
WE'RE READY TO RESTORE DEFAULT.
THE COMMAND LINE LOOKS GOOD.
YOU'RE GOOD TO EXECUTE.
>> WHEN THEY DO THE SMALL MIRROR
MOVE, THE SMALL MOTOR MOVE ON
THE MIRROR HERE, IN OUR TOOL
THAT WE GET TO SEE ON THE
SCREEN, THE OBSERVATORY, THE
UTILIZATION TOOL.
IT IS SUCH A SMALL MOVE, WE
WON'T SEE THE TOOL ACTUALLY
CHANGE AT ALL.
IT WON'T BE UNTIL THE MAJOR MOVE
UNTIL WE CAN SEE IT ON THIS
TOOL.
IT WILL BE 20 OR MORE MINUTES
BEFORE WE SEE THE FULL MOVE TAKE
PLACE.
>> WE'RE SITTING HERE NOW
WATCHING THE MISSION OPERATION
MANAGER.
YOU CAN SEE LIVE COVERAGE FROM
THE MOC, MISSION OPERATION
CONTROL.
WE'RE OPERATING UNDER COVID
PROTOCOLS, WHICH CAN AN
CHALLENGE, BUT THIS IS A HAPPY
AND FESTIVE DAY HERE AND WE'RE
REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE
NEXT DEPLOYMENT.
LATER ON WE'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO
TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS FROM SOCIAL
MEDIA.
WE'RE ASKING YOU TO USE THE
HASHTAG #UNFOLD THE UNIVERSE.
WE'LL STOP TO HEAR COMMANDS TO
HEAR HOW THEY'RE PROGRESSING.
THE MAKE SURE THAT THE SMALL
WING IS MOVING CORRECTLY.
THEN WE'LL SEE IT CLICK INTO
PLACE.
THEN AFTER THAT THERE WILL BE A
COUPLE OF HOURS OF LATCHING IT,
TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS FULLY IN
T AN EXTENDED PERMANENT
CONFIGURATION.
I CAN SEE JULIE HAS A BIG SMILE
ON HER FACE.
WHICH I LOVE TO SEE BECAUSE IT
IS A LOT OF WORK.
AT THE TOP WE ARE GETTING--BILL
OAKES IS THE PROGRAM MANAGER
EVERYONE REPORTS TO HIM AT THIS
POINT.
THERE IS INTERESTING TEAM WORK
BETWEEN SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS
ON A MISSION LIKE THIS I COME
FROM THE BACKGROUND OF BEING AN
ASTRO PHYSICIST.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT WEBB, I THINK
ABOUT ALL THE DATA AND ALL THE
QUESTIONS AND BEING ABLE TO
EXPLORE THE TELESCOPE.
JULIE HAS A VERY DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVE.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR POSITION AS
THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONING
ENGINEER.
TELL US WHAT THAT JOB ENTAILS.
>> SURE.
AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONING
ENGINEER, I WORK TO TRY TO MAKE
SURE ALL OF THE VARIOUS PIECES
THAT IT TAKES TO COMMISSION THE
TELESCOPE COME TOGETHER IN A WAY
THAT MAKES AN ENGINEERING SENSE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO
HAVE WORKED MANY, MANY YEARS TO
MAKE SURE THAT IT COMES TOGETHER
OPERATIONALLY, WORKING WITH HOW
THE COMMANDS ARE SENT, HOW THE
CONTROLS ARE DONE OF THE
OBSERVATORY, MAKING SURE THAT
OUR COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE
ASCENT IS WORKED OUT AND TIMED
WITH ALL OF OUR ACTIVITIES.
BUT I DEAL WITH THE ENGINEERING
ASPECT OF THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT
IF THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN A
FASTER SENSE, THAT IT WILL STILL
BE SAFE.
OUR OPERATIONS CAN BE HANDLED
TWO DAYS EARLIER OR TWO DAYS
LATER SHOULD THE TIMELINE MOVE
ONE WAY OR ANOTHER FROM A
HARDWARE PERSPECTIVE.
SO YOU KNOW, SO MANY PEOPLE ARE
INTERESTED IN HOW THE SCIENCE
WILL WORK.
I'M INTERESTED IN HOW THE PARTS
OF THE TELESCOPE WORK
THEMSELVES, TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEY WORK TOGETHER TO GIVE YOU
THAT SCIENCE.
>> THANK YOU.
AND YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION OF
COURSE ABOUT HOW YOU BECOME AN
ENGINEER OR HOW DO YOU BECOME A
SCIENTIST, WHAT IS YOUR
BACKGROUND?
WHAT DO YOU HAVE A DEGREE IN,
FOR EXAMPLE, THAT LED YOU TO
THIS PARTICULAR JOB?
>> OH, MY ACTUAL DEGREE BOTH MY
UNDERGRADUATE AND MASTERS DEGREE
IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, AND
BASICALLY I STARTED OFF BEING
INTERESTED IN HOW TO DESIGN AND
BUILD THINGS.
AS A KID I LOVED TO BUILD FORTS,
YOU NAME IT, I LIKED TO PUT IT
TOGETHER.
SO I WENT TO SCHOOL TO BE A
MECHANICAL ENGINEER.
GRADUATED.
MY FIRST COMPANY WAS A SMALL
COMPANY, AND I GOT TO DO A
LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.
SO YOU LEARNED TO BE THE JILL OF
ALL TRADES.
AND FROM THAT I MOVED TO NASA,
AND GOT INTO THE TESTING
DEPARTMENT, AND I WAS ABLE TO DO
A LOT OF THE HUBBLE SERVICING
MISSIONS FROM THE TESTING SIDE
TO GET THOSE INSTRUMENTS AND
COMPONENTS THAT WERE BEING SENT
TO HUBBLE ON THE DIFFERENT
SERVICING MISSIONS READY FOR
THOSE MISSIONS.
THEN I MOVED OVER TO JWSD.
AND I'VE BEEN ON JWSD
SINCE 2003.
I'VE BEEN THE SYSTEMS ENGINEER
AND PAYLOAD AND NOW ON TO THE
COMMISSIONING.
>> WONDERFUL.
SO WE'LL PAUSE OUR COMMENTARY
WHEN WE SEE COMMANDS FROM THE
MISSION OPERATION CENTER, BUT WE
DO HAVE TIME TO TAKE A FEW
QUESTIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
BE IT SAYS NICOLAS ON TWITTER
ASKS WITH THE OBSERVATORY STILL
BE OPERATIONAL IF ONE OR A FEW
OF THE MIRRORS BREAK?
IS THERE ANYTHING OUT THERE THAT
COULD BREAK THEM?
MAYBE A COUPLE OF ANSWERS TO
THIS.
WHAT HAPPENS, ALL OF THE MIRRORS
ARE AIMED INDEPENDENTLY.
WHAT HAPPENS IF ONE DO SO
INCORRECTLY?
>> THE GREAT THING WITH THE
TELESCOPE AND THESE INDEPENDENT
MIRRORS, WE CAN HANDLE DIFFERENT
SCENARIOS LIKE THAT.
FOR INSTANCE, IF ONE OF THE
MIRRORS EITHER, LET'S SAY A
PIECE OF DEBRIS HITS IT, OR
DURING IT'S LAUNCH AND ASCENT
PHASE, AND WE HAD A PROBLEM THAT
BROKE A MIRROR OR ACTUATOR
BEHIND THAT MIRROR, WE CAN TAKE
THAT MIRROR OUT OF THE IMAGE BY
MAKING IT OUT OF FOCUS WITH THE
REST OF THE TELESCOPE.
IF ANYONE HAS EVER EXPERIENCED
HAVING A FLOATER IN THEIR EYE OR
SOMETHING LIKE A SCRATCH ON YOUR
EYE, YOU CAN REALIZE HOW MUCH
YOU CAN SEE, AND IT IS
COMPLETELY INAFFECTED BY THAT.
WHEN SOMETHING IS NOT QUITE IN
SYNC WITH THE PRIMARY MIRROR,
THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS TO TAKE
THAT IMPACT OUT.
SOME OF IT IS PHYSICALLY BY
MOVING THE MIRROR OUT OF FOCUS,
OR SOME OF IT IS DIGITALLY
KNOWING THERE IS GOING TO BE AN
IMPERFECTION THAT GETS DIGITALLY
EXTRACTED OUT FROM THOSE IMAGES.
>> FOR THOSE OF HOW HAVE
QUESTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE
ANSWERED ON AIR WITH US USE
HASHTAG #UNFOLD THE UNIVERSE.
THIS GOES ALONG WITH THE SECOND
ONE.
MICHAEL ON FACEBOOK ASKS WHAT
PROTECTS THE MIRROR FROM MICRO
MEET YORE AND DEBRIS.
I THINK THE ANSWER IS NOT MUCH.
>> NOTHING.
WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET.
THE SUNSHIELD IS FACING THE
EARTH AND THE SUN.
NOT ONLY DOES IT PROTECT IT A
LITTLE BIT FROM POSSIBLE DUST OR
ANYTHING COMING FROM THE SUN,
THE HEAT OF THE SUN IS BASICALLY
WHAT IT DOES.
IF THE SUNSHIELD ITSELF, YOU
KNOW THIS IS NOT QUITE THE
QUESTION HE ASKED, BUT IF THE
SUNSHIELD ITSELF WAS HIT BY A
MICRO METERROID, AND IT GETS A
TEAR IN IT, THAT'S WHY THERE ARE
FIVE LAYERS AND WE CAN HANDLE SO
MUCH DAMAGE THROUGHOUT TIME.
AND WE CAN MAKE SURE BASED ON
THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE FROM
OTHER OBSERVATORIES AT THE L2
POINT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
ENVIRONMENT THERE CAN BE
SUSTAINED BY ALL OF OUR OPTICS
AND SUNSHIELD OVER THE TIME SPAN
THAT WE EXPECT TO BE THERE.
>> AND JUST TO GIVE YOU AN
UPDATE YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE
LIVE COMMISSIONING OF THE JAMES
WEBB TELESCOPE.
I UNDERSTAND THERE WILL AN CALL
IN FOUR MINUTES RELEASING THE
LARGER MECHANISM, AND THEN FOUR
MINUTES AFTER THAT WE SHOULD BE
ABLE TO START TO SEE THE WING
START TO MOVE.
>> AT THIS TIME WE'RE READY TO
CONTINUE.
>> COPY THAT.
>> WHAT THEY'LL DO.
>> LINE LOOKS GOOD.
YOU'RE GOOD TO EXECUTE.
>> EXECUTING.
>> AND YOU'RE GOOD TO CONTINUE.
>> WHEN THEY DO THE SMALL MOVE,
THIS WILL VERIFY FOR SURE AND
FOR CERTAIN THAT ALL THOSE
LAUNCH RELEASE MECHANISMS HAVE
RELEASED, AND THE MIRROR IS FREE
TO MOVE INTO ITS FINAL POSITION.
>> RIGHT.
>> CONTINUING OUR CONVERSATION,
SOME SMALL IMPACTS FROM MICRO
METEORITES WILL HAPPEN OVER THE
LIFETIME OF THE MISSION.
THERE WILL BE SOME DAMAGE TO THE
MIRRORS OF THE TELESCOPE.
I REMEMBER--AT GODDARD SPACE
FLIGHT CENTER WHEN THEY REPLACED
SOME OF THE--
>> CONFIRM OPERATION AND WE'RE
READY TO CONTINUE WITH THE SMALL
MOTOR MOVE.
SO WE'RE READY TO GO AT 693.039.
COMMAND LINE LOOKS GOOD.
>> COPY THAT.
EXECUTING.
>> AND YOU'RE GOOD TO CONTINUE.
>> COPY, CONTINUE.
>> STAND BY FOR PERIMETER.
>> COPY THAT.
>> SO WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE
DEBRIS.
ALSO BEING AT L2.
>> I SEE THE PARAMETER LOOKS
GOOD.
>> COPY THAT.
>> I REMEMBER THE CAMERAS BEING
BROUGHT BACK FOR ANALYSIS.
THEY WERE ANALYZING EVERY TINY
LITTLE CRATE THAT ARE WAS MADE
BY A LITTLE PIECE OF DUST OR
DEBRIS.
BUT YOU SAID THAT L-2 IS A VERY
NICE PLACE TO BE.
IT'S A CLEANER PLACE WHEN IT
COMES TO SPACE JUNK, IS THAT
CORRECT?
>> YES, YES, LOWER EARTH ORBIT,
THE TROUBLE IS THAT THERE IS A
LOT OF SPACE DEBRIS, AS EVERYONE
HAS SEEN.
>> I SEE YOU'RE READY TO EXECUTE
STOP DEPLOY.
>> COPY THAT.
EXECUTE.
>> AND YOU'RE GOOD TO CONTINUE.
>> COPY, WILLEN.
>> THEY'RE STOPPING THE MOTOR
MOVE NOW.
>> I SEE THAT IT HAS STOPPED.
AT THIS TIME WE'RE READY TO
CONTINUE TO GET TO YOU STAND BY.
IT LOOKS GOOD.
YOU'RE GOOD TO EXECUTE.
>> EXECUTING.
>> WELL, AND YOU'RE GOOD TO
CONTINUE.
>> AND GOOD TO CONTINUE.
>> ONCE THEY'VE TAKEN A MOMENT
TO ANALYZE THE TELEMETRY, AND
THEN MOVE ON WITH THE MIRROR
MOVES, THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THE
MOTOR AND DRIVE THE MIRROR UP
AGAINST A HARD STOP.
ONCE THEY MOVE IT UP AGAINST THE
HARD STOP AND THEY VERIFY THAT
THEY'RE HAPPY WITH THAT
POSITION, THEN THEY'LL START TO
MOVE LATCHES INTO POSITION.
WHEN THEY MOVE THE LATCHES INTO
POLLINGS, THEY'LL BACK OFF ON
THAT MOTOR TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
LATCHES ARE THE ONES THAT--
>> CONFIRM ROUND ROBIN.
WE'RE READY TO CONTINUE.
TO RESTORE THE PARAMETER.
THAT COMMAND LINE LOOKS GOOD.
YOU'RE GOOD TO CONTINUE.
>> ROGER THAT.
EXECUTING.
>> THEY'RE SETTING SOME
CONFIGURATION COMMANDS TO THE
MOTORS.
>> ONCE AGAIN YOU'RE JOINING US
FOR THE LIVE COMMISSIONING OF
THE JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE.
THE STAR BIRD WING OF THE
PRIMARY MIRROR IS BEING DEPLOYED
TODAY.
IN A FEW MINUTES WE'LL SEE IT
MOVING.
ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF YOUR
SCREEN DATA THAT IS GENERATED BY
A COMPUTER.
THIS "S" NOT A CAMERA, BUT THIS
WILL SHOW THE CONFIGURATION IT
IS IN IN REALTIME.
IN A FEW MINUTES FROM NOW WE'LL
BRING THAT PART OF THE PRIMARY
MIRROR AROUND TO FORM ONE LARGE
MIRROR OF 18 SEGMENTS.
WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THE
MIRRORS AS WE DO THE DEPLOYMENT.
WE'LL TIME AS IT LATCHES INTO
ITS FINAL CONFIGURATION.
THAT IS A THIN LAYERING OF GOLD,
AND THE TELESCOPE WOULD LOOK
DARKER THAN YOU WOULD SEE IN
THAT ANIMATION.
THE SUNSHIELD IS BLOCKING THE
LIGHT FROM THE SUN, AND ANY
REFLECTIVE LIGHT FROM THE EARTH
AND THE MOON.
IT IS IN DARK COLD SPACE THAT IT
WILL BE DOING IT'S PRIMARY
SCIENCE OF LOOKING OUT INTO THE
UNIVERSE.
I UNDERSTAND THE CALL TO MOVE IS
IMMINENT, ANY MOMENT NOW.
WHEN THE MIRROR BEGINS TO MOVE,
WE'LL JUST--WE'LL ALL SIT BACK
TOGETHER AND ENJOY WATCHING
THAT, AND WE'LL COME BACK WITH
COMMENTARY AFTER THAT HAS
COMPLETED, AND WE HAVE SOME TIME
AS THE LATCH TELESCOPE, A COUPLE
OF HOURS, IN ITS FINAL
CONFIGURATION AND WE'LL HAVE
GUESTS AND EXPERTS TO TALK ABOUT
WHAT THAT WHEN IT HAPPENS.
I'M JOINED BY JULIE VAN CAMPEN,
SHE'S THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER
ENGINEER.
>> THE COMMAND LINE LOOKS GOOD.
YOU'RE GOOD TO EXECUTE.
>> EXECUTING.
>> YOU'RE GOOD TO CONTINUE.
>> THE MOTOR IS BACK IN ITS
OPERATIONAL STATE TO DO ITS
CONFIGURATION.
NOW IT'S READY TO DO THE FULL
MOVE.
>> WE'RE COMING TO YOU LIVE FROM
THE SCIENCE INSTITUTE FROM
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
IT'S HAPPENING IN REALTIME.
THE JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE
COMMISSIONING, THE FINAL WING OF
THE PRIMARY MIRROR.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT LIVE COVERAGE
FROM THE MISSION OPERATION
CENTER, THE MOC.
COMMAND TO DOE PLOY THE WING IS
IMMINENT.
WE'RE WAITING ANY MINUTE FOR IT
NOW.
WE'LL WATCH ON THE OBSERVATION
TOOL TO SEE THAT.
IT WILL BE JUST A COUPLE OF
MINUTES.
SOMETHING LIKE FOUR TO FIVE
MINUTES.
THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND TALK
ABOUT THE OBSERVATORY AND TALK
TO SOME OF THE SCIENCE LEADS
THAT THEY'VE BEEN DESIGNED TO
ANSWER.
>> STAND BY WHILE WE REVIEW THE
PARAMETERS.
>> THEY'RE REVIEWING THE
PARAMETERS.
>> I SEE THOSE PARAMETERS LOOK
GOOD.
YOU'RE GOOD TO MOVE THEM.
>> THIS WILL MOVE THE MIRRORS
INTO THEIR FINAL POSITION.
>> THIS IS LIVE FOOTAGE.
THERE IS A THREE-SECOND TIME
DELAY.
IT WILL TAKE THAT LONG FOR LIGHT
TO TRAVEL AT 186,000 MILES PER
SECOND.
THE JAMES WEBB TELL KOBE IS NOW
OVER 90,000 MILES AWAY.
REMEMBER THIS
VISUALIZATIONIZATION IS REAL.
IT IS NOT PRE-RECORDED.
IT IS COMING FROM THE TELESCOPE
BEING DOWNLOADED.
>> THE DATA MOVES AT THE SPEED
OF LIGHT.
AND IT TAKES ABOUT THAT LONG TO
COME TO US.
I KNOW THAT WAS A QUESTION WE
HAD.
>> WE HAVE STARTED OUR
DEPLOYMENT INTO THE DEPLOYED
HARD STOPS AND OUR CURRENT LOOKS
REALLY GOOD, NICE AND LOW.
>> COPY.
>> THAT'S ANOTHER OF OUR
DEPLOYMENT ENGINEERS MAKING SURE
EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD FROM THE
MISSION OPERATION MANAGER.
>> IT IS EXCITING TO SEE IT
MOVING.
THERE IT IS ON THE VISUALIZATION
TOOL.
IT IS GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER.
>> IT IS GOING TO BE MOMENTOUS
WHEN IT FINALLY COMES INTO
POSITION.
>> THE FIRST WING WAS
SUCCESSFULLY DEPLOYED YESTERDAY,
NOW THIS IS THE FINAL PARTY, THE
PRIMARY MIRROR BEING PUT INTO
PLACE.
GIVE US A SENSE OF THE SCALE.
THESE MIRROR SEGMENT, I HAD THE
HONOR OF WATCHING THIS BEING
BUILT, A LOT OF IT AT GODDARD.
HOW BIG CHRIST ACROSS ARE THOSE
HEXAGONS.
>> IT IS AMAZING TO LOOK UP AND
SEEING THE WHOLE MIRROR
ASSEMBLED TOWERING ABOVE YOU.
THERE IS NO AMOUNT OF SEEING IT
ON PHOTOS OF HAVING A SENSE OF
STANDING NEXT TO IT AND SEEING
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE BEING
ASSEMBLED.
AS WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, ONCE
IT IS FULLY IN POSITION HERE,
THE FINAL SHAPE THAT OUR PRIMARY
MIRROR--
>> THREE-QUARTERS OF THE WAY
THROUGH THE DEPLOYMENT AND
EVERYTHING STILL LOOKS REALLY
GOOD.
>> THE MIRROR ITSELF WILL BE
CONCAVE.
YOU CAN SORT OF JUST SEE THAT IN
THIS SIMULATION.
THEY HAVE ACTUALLY SIMULATED
SOME STARS AND THINGS IN SPACE
THAT YOU CAN SEE MOVING ON THE
SURFACE OF THE MIRROR.
ALSO, AS THE MIRROR COMES
FORWARD, AND I'M NOT SURE THAT
WE CAN SEE IT AT THIS ANGLE, BUT
THERE IS A THING CALLED A BAT
WING.
IT IS A SHADE THAT FALLS DOWN
BEHIND THE MIRROR TO HELP SHADE
ANY LIGHT OR HEAT THAT MIGHT BE
COMING UP THROUGH THE HOLE IN
THE SUN SHADE FROM KEEPING ANY
OF THE BACKSIDE OF THE TELESCOPE
WARM.
IT COMES DOWN AS THE MOTOR MOVES
THIS FORWARD.
>> THIS IS DEFINITELY WE HAVE
REACHED THE END OF DEPLOYMENT
AND WE'RE PRE-LOADING INTO THE
LATCH.
>> ALL RIGHT.
>> YOU SEE PEOPLE CLAPPING.
>> YOU SEE EVERYONE CLAPPING.
>> WOW, JUST LOOK AT THAT.
THE PRIMARY MIRROR IS
SUCCESSFULLY DEPLOYED.
THIS IS A FIRST.
WE'VE MADE A SPACE OBSERVATORY
WHERE THE MIRROR WAS SO LARGE
THAT IT HAD TO BE FOLDED UP TO
FIT INSIDE THE ROCKET.
>> AT THIS TIME WE'RE READY TO
CONTINUE.
ENABLE 256.
>> COPY.
>> THAT COMMAND LINE LOOKS GOOD.
YOU'RE GOOD TO EXECUTE.
>> COPY THAT, GO AHEAD AND
EXECUTE.
>> EXECUTING.
>> YOU CAN HEAR THE RELIEF IN
OUR DEPLOYMENT OPS.
>> YOU'RE GOOD TO ACTIVATE.
>> I HAVE TO SAY, THAT I JUST
FEEL THIS GLOW IN MY CHEST RIGHT
NOW JUST SEEING THAT MIRROR ALL
DEPLOYED ALL TOGETHER.
THE SIZE OF THE MIRROR ALLOWS US
TO COLLECT MORE LIGHT FROM
OBJECTS, AND IN A LOT OF CASES
THAT MEANS ON JACKETS THAT TOOK
BILLIONS OF YEARS AND THE
SENSITIVITY OF THIS MIRROR WILL
ALLOW THAT, AND THE SIZE OF THE
MIRROR GIVES US A CLEARER HIGHER
RESOLUTION, WE'RE ABLE TO SEE
MORE DETAIL IN SPACE THAN EVER
BEFORE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT
ABSOLUTELY HAD TO HAPPEN.
WE HAD TO UNFOLD THIS MIRROR,
THE SECONDARY FOCUSING MIRROR
HAD TO COME OUT.
AND THIN MORE THAN A WEEK AAGO
THE AMAZING SUNSHIELD.
THERE IT IS, YOU'RE LOOKING AT
AN IMAGINATION.
THIS IS NOT A PRE-MADE
ANIMATION.
THIS IS FROM INFORMATION COME
FROM THE TELESCOPE.
WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY UNFOLDED
THE LAST PART OF THE PRIMARY
MIRROR.
AFTER THIS THERE ARE STILL
COMMISSIONING ACTS TO COME, VERY
IMPORTANT ONES.
>> CONFIRM THAT 256 IS ACTIVE IN
THE DELAYED STATE, AND I'VE
CONFIRMED THAT THEY'RE READY TO
BEGIN THE THREE-DOOR LATCH TO
SAVE.
WE'RE READY TO CONTINUE MOVE ONE
OF 20.
>> COPY THAT.
>> AND THAT LOOKS GOOD.
YOU'RE GOOD TO EXECUTE.
>> EXECUTE.
>> EXECUTING.
>> YOU JUST HEARD.
THEY WENT THROUGH A MOUTHFUL OF
DESCRIPTION OF WHAT HAPPENS
NEXT.
THERE IS A HOOK LATCH, AND IT IS
BASICALLY REALLY THAT.
IT LOOKS LIKE A BIG LATCH LIKE
YOU WOULD HOOK POSSIBLY ON A
BATHROOM DOOR OR TIE DOWN, IF
YOU HAD TIE-DOWN STRAPS TO HOLD
SOME PACKAGING ON TO THE BACK OF
A VEHICLE.
IT IS AN ACTUALLY A HOOK, AND
YOU HEARD HER CALL IT "THREE
DOOR."
WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT IT HAS A
COUPLE OF DEGREES OF MOTION THAT
IT CAN DO.
>> STAND BY FOR PARAMETER
REVIEW.
>> STANDING BY.
>> EACH OF THE LATCHES ARE A
LITTLE DIFFERENT IN WHICH
DEGREES OF FREEDOM THEY CAN
MOVE.
>> I SEE THE PARAMETERS LOOK
GOOD.
YOU'RE GOOD TO CONTINUE.
>> COPY THAT.
WE'RE GOOD TO CONTINUE.
>> THAT'S ONE OF THE.
IC.
>> THIS LATCHING PROCEDURE WILL
TAKE A COUPLE OF HOURS.
WE'LL BE HERE THROUGH THE
ENTIRETY OF IT.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO TELL YOU WHEN
IT IS COMPLETE.
WE MAY PAUSE OUR COMMENTARY NOW
AND AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE DIFFERENT
GUESTS TO DISCUSS THIS THROUGH
THE NEXT FEW HOURS.
CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THE
LATCHING, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE
SEEING THE NEXT FEW HOURS,
JULIE?
>> SURE.
THERE ARE ACTUALLY SEVERAL
LATCHES.
THE NEXT ONE THAT YOU'LL HEAR
HER TALK ABOUT WILL BE ONE OF
THE TWO DOORS, AND THERE
IS--THERE'S FOUR IN TOTAL, I
BELIEVE.
EACH OF THESE WILL COME INTO
POSITION AND THEN VERY SLOWLY
THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY
DO SOMETHING CALLED OVER
CONSTRAIN.
AND ANYONE WHO I UNDERSTANDS HOW
A MECHANISM MIGHT MOVE, YOU CAN
EASILY GET YOURSELF JAMMED INTO
A POSITION IF YOU TRY TO TIGHTEN
ONE THING BEFORE YOU'RE
COMPLETELY ALIGNED WITH ANOTHER.
ALMOST LIKE WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR
TIRE YOU WANT TO DO THE STAR
PATTERN.
YOU DON'T WANT TO TIGHTEN ONE OF
THOSE MOLTS BEFORE WE GET TO THE
OTHERS SNUG.
THEY'LL DO THE SAME THING WITH
THE LATCHES.
THEY'LL MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE
DONE IN A PRECISE ORDER.
THE DIFFERENT DEGREES OF
FREEDOMS WILL COME INTO PLAY IN
THE ORDER THEY HAD PLANNED TO
MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THAT
MIRROR LATCHED IN AND LOCKED
DOWN IN THE ABSOLUTE BEST
POSITION SO THAT THOSE MIRRORS
ARE IN CHANGE FOR WHAT THEY NEED
TO DO TO ACTUALLY DEFINING THE
SERVICES OF THAT WILL MIRROR.
BUT THAT THE IT WAS THE WAITERS
AND MOTION WILL COME IN THE NEXT
COUPLE OF WEEKS.
>> JULIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
BEING WITH US THROUGH THIS
PROCEDURE.
WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU LATER ON,
AT THE MOMENT WE'LL HAVE ONE OF
OUR EXPERT GUESTS COME UP.
>> WE'RE READY TO CONTINUE.
DOOR LATCH, 2 OF 20.
YOU'RE GOOD TO EXECUTE.
>> EXECUTING.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU LATER.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THE NEXT PERSON WE'RE GOING TO
BE TALKING TO IS THE ASSOCIATE
ADMINISTRATOR FOR SCIENCE.
THOMAS, HOW ARE YOU DOING AND
TELL ME HOW YOU'RE FEELING ABOUT
WHAT YOU HAVE JUST OBSERVED.
>> I'M MEANSNAL ABOUT IT.
WHAT A MILESTONE.
ALMOST COMPLETE.
WHAT AN AMAZING MILESTONE.
178, OUT OF 178 OF THESE
ACTIVATORS THAT HAD TO FIRE THE
RIGHT WAY.
I'M JUST TO AMAZED AND IN AWE OF
THIS TEAM.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS--I HAVEN'T
SEEN YOU IN A WHILE WITHOUT A
MASK.
THEY HAVE US ALL IN DIFFERENT
ROOMS.
BUT YOU'RE USUALLY CLEAN SHAVEN.
>> I TOLD MY WIFE I'M NOT GOING
TO SHAVE UNTIL THIS TELESCOPE IS
FULLY DEPLOYED.
IT'S LIKE BEING IN THE PLAYOFFS.
>> WELL, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK
IT WILL BE UNTIL YOU SHAVE?
>> I FULLY EXPECT, ASSUMING THAT
EVERYTHING GOES WELL TODAY, I
FULLY EXPECT TO SHAVE TODAY.
AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS TEAM
HAS BASICALLY ON TRACK WITHIN A
HALF DAY OR SO WITHIN THE
FASTEST SCHEDULE THAT WE HAD
OUTLINED.
I SAT THERE TODAY WITH SOME OF
THE MANAGERS AND SAID, IF YOU
ASK SOMEBODY TWO MONTHS AGO,
HEY, THIS IS MASSIVELY
OPTIMISTIC.
I THINK THIS TEAM IS JUST
INCREDIBLE.
BACK TO MY SPORTS ANALOGY, WE'RE
SEEING THAT THE TEAM ON THE
PLAYING FIELD, AND IT IS JUST AN
AWESOME TEAM, AND FRANKLY OVER
AND ABOVE ALL EXPECTATIONS THAT
ANYBODY MIGHT HAVE HAD.
>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE
TEAM, AND IT ALL TOMORROWING
TOGETHER.
BUT THERE WERE SOME TREMENDOUS
CHALLENGES THAT THIS TEAM HAS
FACED.
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN THERE WITH
THE TEAM FOR QUITE AWHILE NOW.
GIVE US SENSE, NOT ONLY DID WE
HAVE COVID, AND WE WERE TRYING
TO DO THIS AND BE ISOLATED AND
BE CAREFUL OF EACH OTHER'S
SAFETY, BUT TELL US ABOUT YOUR
YEARS ON THIS MISSION THAT
YOU'RE AMAZED LIKE WOW, THEY
OVERCAME THAT.
>> I WANT TO TELL YOU FIRST,
MICHELLE, THAT I'M VERY HUMBLE
TO BE PART OF THIS TEAM RIGHT
NOW.
I KNOW THERE WERE MANY OTHERS
WHO WERE PART OF THIS TEAM FOR
DECADES BEFORE I SHOWED UP.
I'VE BEEN PART OF THIS TEAM FOR
FIVE YEARS, AND I'M HONORED TO
BE PART OF THE TEAM.
YES, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF
CHALLENGES.
IF YOU LOOK AT EVERYTHING THAT
GOES BACKWARDS WITH THE
DEPLOYMENT AS CHALLENGES WITH
THE TEAM IMMEDIATELY ADDRESSED,
AND MADE IT LOOK EASY ALTHOUGH
SOME OF THESE CHALLENGES WERE
TOUGH.
YOU GO BACK IN TIME, AND OF
COURSE IT IS VERY HARD TO THINK
ABOUT THE GRIT OF THIS TEAM THAT
WE'RE SEEING WITHOUT THINKING OF
COVID.
WHAT IS REALLY AMAZING IS HOW
THEY OVERCAME THAT, AND HOW THEY
DID NOT--THEY TOOK EVERY EXCUSE
THEY COULD TO STAY ON TRACK.
AND SO OFTEN, MICHELLE,
SOMETIMES WE SEE TEAMS IN OUR
PRIVATE LIVES OR ELSEWHERE WHERE
ALL OF A SUDDEN PEOPLE DO NOT
FULFILL GOALS.
THIS TEAM FOUND EVERY EXCUSE TO
DO SO.
YOU GO BACK IN TIME, AND YOU
REALIZE HOW HARD IT IS TO BE
TRULY A SINGLE TEAM.
MICHELLE, IT IS NOT JUST
ENGINEERS, IT IS THE GOOD PEOPLE
ON CAPITOL HILL WHO ARE
ALLOCATING THE BUDGETS, THE
PEOPLE IN THE WHITE HOUSE, YOU
KNOW, THE STAKEHOLDERS THERE.
I THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT
TOMORROW SAY HIS NAME.
WHAT HE MANAGED TO DO, BUILDING
A TEAM FROM THE TOP ALL THE WAYS
WEIGH TO THE TECHNICIANS AS A
SINGLE TEAM.
THAT'S WHY IT IS GOING SO WELL.
UNIFIED TEAMS ARE A BEAUTIFUL
THING TO WATCH.
>> WE'RE A COUPLE OF MINUTES
INTO OUR MOVE TO THE SAFE
POSITION ON THE THREE-DOOR
LATCH.
EVERYTHING LOOKS REALLY GOOD.
THE OFFSET CAME IN RIGHT WHERE
WE WANTED IT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING GOOD.
>> COPY.
>> SO THE ASSOCIATE
ADMINISTRATORRER OF SCIENCE FOR
NASA, YOU ARE A SCIENTIST.
THERE IS SOME INCREDIBLE
SCIENTIFIC GOALS FOR THIS
MISSION.
THIS ALL STARTED FROM QUESTIONS.
WE LAUNCHED THE HUBBLE SPACE
TELESCOPE.
WE UNDERSTOOD THERE WAS SO MANY
MORE THINGS TO SEE EVEN FURTHER
BACK IN TIME.
GIVE ME A SENSE OF THE SCIENCE
YOU'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, THAT
YOU'RE HOPING THIS MISSION WILL
ACCOMPLISH.
>> HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU HAVE,
MICHELLE?
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT
OF READING AND THINKING ABOUT
THIS, THE UNIVERSE AND GALAXIES.
YOU KNOW FOR ME, THE POTENTIAL
IMPACT OF BLACK HOLES IN THIS
DISCUSSIONFUL BRINGS THE
RELATIONSHIP OF GALAXIES AND
BLACK HOLES THAT ARE SO TIGHT.
HOW DID THAT GO THERE?
FOR ME IT JUST BOGGLES MY MIND
TO THINK OF THESE ENORMOUS
STRUCTURES IN THE PAST.
I'LL GIVE YOU A SECOND EXAMPLE,
AND OF COURSE IT IS ABOUT
FINDING LIFE ELSEWHERE, BUT I'M
GOING TO FOCUS ON OUR OWN SOLAR
SYSTEM.
WHERE CAN YOU MAKE OBSERVATIONS
OF, FOR EXAMPLE, EUROPA.
WE DID THAT WITH HUBBLE.
THERE ARE AMAZING.
PAPERS OUT THERE THAT WE CAN SEE
EMISSIONS OF EUROPA THAT ARE
SIMILAR, FOR EXAMPLE, TO WHERE
WATER FROM THESE SUB SURFACE
OCEANS ARE COMING OUT TOGETHER
WITH ORGANICS.
THE QUESTION IS WHAT HAPPENED IN
NEUROPA.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF
THERE ARE SUCH EMISSION POINTS
THAT WE KNOW THAT.
WE WANT TO TAKE THE MEASUREMENTS
WITH THAT AMAZING SPECTROMETER.
AND OF COURSE WE'RE IN THE
MIDDLE OF A HUGE ADVENTURE
GETTING THESE SAMPLES BACK IN
THE FIRST ROUND TRIP TO ANOTHER
PLANET.
AND AGAIN, OBSERVATIONS OF THE
MARTIAN ATMOSPHERE AND IT'S DUST
COMPONENTS ARE JUST SO CRITICAL.
>> THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE
REALLY ENJOYED SEEING YOUR
LEADERSHIP ON OVER THE LAST
YEARS THAT NO MISSION STANDS
ALONE.
EACH ONE SUPPORTS ANOTHER.
IT'S NOT JUST THIS MISSION, AND
THEN THAT ONE.
BUT IT'S A STRATEGY THAT WORKS
TOGETHER.
FOR EXPLORING THE SOLAR SYSTEM
YOU HAVE A THE WEBB TELESCOPE.
THEN WE HAVE MISSIONS THAT ARE
POISED TO GO THERE AND EXPLORE
CLOSER UP AS WELL.
>> OH, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT.
WHAT IS SO THE SCIENCE PROGRAM
WE HAVE AT NASA A STATE OF
CONNECTED INNOCENCE.
FOR MAINE THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN ONE
OF THE MOST EXCITING PARTS TO
STUDY NATURE IS TO SEE
RELATIONSHIPS THAT WERE NOT
EASILY FLOCK THERE.
THE MORE WE WESTERN NATURE.
THE MORE WE SEE SOME OF THESE
CONNECTIONS.
I'M ALWAYS IN AWE.
I READ SOME PAPERS, NOT AS MANY
AS I WOULD LIKE TO, BUT
NONETHELESS I READ SOME PAPERS
WHERE ATMOSPHERIC MOLDS OF
EXOPLANETS. LISTENING TO
COMMANDS FROM THE MOC AND MAKING
SURE THAT WE STAY UP-TO-DATE ON
THEM.
YOU MENTIONED THE FIRST STARS.
AND THERE IS PROBABLY PLENTY OF
PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO DON'T
KNOW YOUR BACKGROUND AS A
SCIENTIST.
MAYBE A LITTLE SENSE OF YOUR
SCIENCE EXPERTISE AND HOW YOU
BECAME ASSOCIATIVE ADMINISTRATOR
OF NASA.
>> ALSO, I STUDIED ASTROPHYSICS.
YOU KNOW, I WAS REALLY INSPIRED
BY SOME OF THESE MISSIONS,
FRANKLY I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS
EIGHT YEARS OLD I GOT THIS BOOK
ABOUT THE VOYAGER MISSION AND
SOME OF THESE TELESCOPES.
AND THAT WAS IN THE 70s WHEN I
GOT THIS BOOK.
THAT INSPIRED ME OUT THAT HAVE
LITTLE VILLAGE IN SWITZERLAND TO
BE WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW.
I'M AN ASTRO PHYSICISTIC BUT I
ALSO FOCUS ON THE SUN, AND I
KNOW HOW TO DO MASS
SPECTROMETERS.
AND I WORK WITH AMAZING TEAMS.
THIS GIVES ME SO MUCH HOPE OF
ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO.
WHEN I THINK OF ASTRO PHYSICIST,
I THINK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT I
LEARNED IN THE LATE 90s THAT
ARE NO LONGER TRUE.
CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW FIVE YEARS
FROM NOW, HOW CLASSES AROUND THE
WORLD WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS
AMAZING OBSERVATORY THAT IS
BEING SET UP RIGHT NOW.
>> YEAH, THERE ARE GOING TO BE
SOME VERY PROFOUND THINGS.
YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT LOOKING
AT THE FIRST GALAXIES TO FORM.
THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY
WE HAVE AN INFRARED TELESCOPE,
WHICH WAS LARGELY INVISIBLE
LIGHT.
INFRARED ALLOWS US TO SEE
FURTHER BACK IN TIME.
THE UNIVERSE IS STRETCH OUT FROM
THE LIGHT TO INFRARED WAVE
LENGTHS.
AND THIS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
BLACK HOLES AND GALAXIES.
A LOT OF OUR VIEWERS PROBABLY
DON'T REALIZE THAT WE'RE
ORBITING AROUND A BLACK HOLE
RIGHT NOW IN THE CENTER OF THE
GALAXY.
THERE SEEMS TO BE A RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN HOW GALAXIES FORM AND
BLACK HOLES FORM.
BUT THERE IS A REAL MYSTERY
ABOUT THESE BIG BLACK HOLES THAT
WE SEE SO FAR AWAY AND THUS SO
FAR BACK IN TIME.
AS ASTRO HIS--ASTRO PHYSICIST
IT'S.
>> IT'S HARD TO FIND A GALAXY IN
WHICH THERE IS NO BLACK HOLE
THERE.
IT REALLY SEEMS THAT IT IS A
REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THE
GALACTIC EVOLUTION.
BUT HOW DOES THAT START?
IS THE BLACK HOLE FIRST?
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE BLACK
HOLE FROM THE BEGINNING?
YOU TALK ABOUT THE
INTERCONNECTEDNESS, MICHELLE.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE SETTING UP A
SMALL TELESCOPE THAT WE LAUNCHED
A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND HOPEFULLY
NEXT WEEK WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET
OUR FIRST SLIDE OF THAT KIND OF
X-RAY OBSERVATION PROVIDING NEW
INSIGHTS ABOUT SOME OF THESE
MORE RECENT BLACKS HOLES AND
REALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
THE MECHANISMS REALLY ARE.
AND IN THOSE BLACK HOLES AND
ALSO THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND IT.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE ROLES OF
MAGNETIC FIELDS THAT ARE SO
CRITICAL IN SO MANY OF HERE'S
AREAS.
>> I KNOW FOR ME ONE OF THE
THINGS WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT
THE UNIVERSE IN THE CASE OF
HUBBLE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE
BLACK HOLES THAT ARE GIGANTIC.
THEY'RE MILLIONS OF TIMES THE
MASS THE SUN.
WE TEND TO BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE
FORMED BY THE STARS WHEN DIE.
HOW DOES SUCH A HUGE BLACK HOLE
FORM SO QUICKLY.
ONE THING THAT I HOPE WEBB WILL
SHED SOME LIGHT ON IS THE FACT
SOME OF THE FIRST STARS IN THE
UNIVERSE MAYBE WERE QUITE
DIFFERENCE THAN THE STARS TODAY.
WHY WERE WOULD THE FIRST STARS
BE THAT DIFFERENT FROM THE STARS
WE SEE AROUND US RIGHT NOW?
>> I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD
QUESTION, AND I THINK IT'S ONE
OF THE MOST AMAZING PARTS OF
TALKING ABOUT HOW WE RELATE TO
OUR UNIVERSE.
WHEN THE UNIVERSE STARTS AT THE
BEGINNING, THAT ATOMS THAT FORM
REALLY ARE MUCH LESS RICH IN
TERMS OF DIVERSITY OF WHAT WE
HAVE TODAY.
ON MY HANDS I HAVE GOLD AND
PLATINUM RINGS THAT MY WIFE GAVE
ME, AND WE KNOW THAT THE IN
HOSTS ARE NOT FROM THE BEGINNING
OF THE UNIVERSE.
THEY'RE FROM NEUTRON STARS THAT
ARE MERGING THAT ARE MUCH, MUCH
LATER AFTER THE LIFETIME OF THE
STARS.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FIRST
STARS, IT IS MUCH LIGHTER THAN
STARS THAT ARE.
THOSE STARS ARE NEXT GENERATION
STARS.
IN SO MANY OF THE CASES MUCH
HEAVIER COMPONENTS ARE THERE.
THE QUESTION IS HOW DO YOU BUILD
THOSE FIRST STARS, AND THEN HOW
DO THEY KICK OFF OFF THAT
EVOLUTIONARY OH MODELS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF MODELS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE CALL LEARNING
SAYING THIS MODEL IS CORRECT AND
THIS MODEL IS NOT CORRECT.
THERE IS AN OBSERVATION THAT OH
NONE OF THE MODEL OHS ARE
CORRECT.
THAT IS AN ELEMENT OF SURPRISE.
WE CAN ALWAYS.
[.
>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE
HISTORY OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS BUT
THEN THERE IS ALWAYS THE ELEMENT
OF SURPRISE.
THE UNIVERSE BEGAN WITH HYDROGEN
AND HELIUM AND TINY BIT OF A
COUPLE OF OTHER ELEMENTS.
BUT EVERYTHING THAT MAKES UP THE
HUMAN BODY, THE CARBON OR THE
CALCIUM IN OUR TEETH.
>> WE HAVE COMPLETED THIS MOVE
THE THREE-DOOR LATCH.
SO WE'RE GOING TO PRO SEED WITH
THE TWO-DOOR LATCH.
EN.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE
MR. PREVIEW HOPING THAT THE
JAMES THE ORIGINS OF THE STUFF
THAT WE'RE COMING FROM.
BUT THERE IS ANOTHER PART OF OUR
ORIGINS, TOO.
>> BEGIN THE TWO-DOOR LATCH.
THE MOTOR MOVED THREE OF 20.
THE COMMAND LINE LOOKS GOOD.
YOU'RE GOOD TO EXECUTE.
>> COPY THAT, WE'LL EXECUTE.
>> AND YOU'RE GOOD TO CONTINUE.
>> COPY THAT.
WE WILL CONTINUE.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS I'M REALLY
LOOKING FORWARD TO IS MAYBE IN A
FEW YEARS FROM NOW POINT TO A
STAR UP IN THE COULD I AND SAY
THERE IS A PLANET AROUND THAT
STAR THAT HAS AN ENVIRONMENT
SIMILAR TO US HERE ON EARTH.
MAYBE TAKE US THROUGH HOW WOULD
WEBB BE ABLE TO DO THAT?
HOW WILL WEBB WILL BE ABLE TO
EXPLORE THE ENVIRONMENTS ON
PLANETS THAT FAR AWAY FROM OTHER
STARS?
HOW WILL IT BE ABLE TO DO THAT?
>> SO, IF WE GO BACK IN TIME OF
THE EARTH, OF COURSE, LONG
BEFORE WE WERE HERE, THE
ATMOSPHERE IF I WAS A PLANET OR
MERGED.
THANK INCLUDED THE EMERGENCE OF
LIFE REALLY CHANGED THE
ATMOSPHERE.
THERE IS A NUMBER OF PAPERS OUT
THERE THAT SAY THAT A LARGE
FRACTION OF THE NITROGEN OUT
THERE MAY VERY WELL BE THE
EMERGENCE OF LIFE.
THERE IS OXYGEN AND O ZONE AND
ELEMENTS THAT REALLY COME ATHE
APPEARANCE AND THE ABILITY TO
HAVE LIFE EVEN IN SOME CASES THE
FOLLOW UP, THE CONSISTENCY WITH
LIFE THERE.
CERTAINLY FROM WHAT WE'VE
LEARNED HERE.
BUT PERHAPS OTHER IMMERSIONS
THAT WE HAVE HAD TO--WE HAVE TO
LEARN.
OF COURSE, WHAT IS SO HARD ABOUT
LIFE, WE ONLY KNOW ONE LIFE, ALL
LIFE ON EARTH IS RELATED.
WE LEARNED A LOT FROM ONE SOLER
SYSTEMS TO MARL SOLAR
CONVERSATIONS THAT WERE
PUBLISHED IN 1995.
WHEN WE LOOK AT LIFE, SIMILAR
THINGS WILL HAPPEN.
ER BUT FOR ME, THAT'S WHY I GET
SO EXCITED, MICHELLE.
>> WE'RE TALKING WITH DR. THOMAS
ZURBUCHEN.
THOMAS, AND OUR AUDIENCE WE'RE
GOING TO TAKE A PAUSE IN THE
COMMENTARY AND WE'LL BE COMING
BACK AT 11:00 IN THE MORNING
EASTERN STANDARD TIME.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
WHAT AN EXCITING DAY.
AS YOU SAID, VERY EMOTIONAL, AND
I'M JUST SO PLEASED TO BE HERE
ON THE FLOOR BENEATH YOU.
WE'LL WAVE TO YOU FROM DOWN IN
THE BUILDING.
>> I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL
THE AMAZING WORK YOU'VE BEEN
DOING.
IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL.
I'VE WATCHED YOU MANY TIMES FROM
DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
I KNOW YOU HAVE THE SAME PASSION
ABOUT THE SCIENCE AND WE'LL BE
GETTING THE DATA BACK.
>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND
WE'LL BE COMING BACK FOR MORE
COMMENTARY IN JUST A FEW
MINUTES.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WHAT YOU SEE NOW IS LIFE
FOOTAGE OF THE MOC.
THIS IS DATA COMING FROM THE
TELESCOPE AS WE SPEAK.
WHAT HAPPENED A FEW MINUTES AGO
WAS THE STAR BIRD SIDE OF THE
PRIMARY MIRROR, THE MIRROR WING,
WAS RELEASED INTO PLACE.
THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE
ACCOMPLISHMENT.
THE MIRROR IS FULLY.
>> YOU'RE GOOD TO EXECUTE.
>> EXECUTING.
>> YOU'LL HEAR ME PAUSE AS I
LISTEN TO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN
THE CONTROL ROOM OH.
AS I MENTIONED THIS PROCEDURE
WILL GO ON FOR A COUPLE OF
HOURS.
AT THE END WE'LL BE ABLE TO TELL
YOU THAT THE MIRROR HAS BEEN
SAFELY LATCHED INTO ITS FINAL
COMMISSION.
THERE IS MORE TO COME.
NOT THE LAST PHASE.
AFTER THIS, WE'LL BE FOCUSING
THE PRIMARY MIRROR WHICH IS MADE
OF 18 INDEPENDENT SEGMENTS, THEN
THEY'LL BEGIN THE COMMISSIONING
OF SCIENCE INSTRUMENTS AS WELL.
RIGHT NOW THERE IS A CHANCE THAT
IT'S A GOOD TIME TO TALK ABOUT
THE JOURNEY THAT THE WEBB HAS
BEEN ON.
IT HAD A TO STAY IN VERY CLEAN
CIRCUMSTANCES.
THAT WAS IN CALIFORNIA ON A
SPECIAL SPACE SHIFT THAT IS
DESIGNED TO TAKE THIS TO KOUROU,
FRENCH KEY YANA.
IT WAS LOADED ON THE PLACE WHERE
IT WILL GO UP BY ROCKET.
THAT'S THE JOURNEY OF WEBB.
WEBB IS IN A CONFIGURATION
FOLDED UP.
THIS OBSERVATORY FOR THE FIRST
TIME WE LAUNCHED AN OBSERVATORY
THAT WAS SO BIG THE MIRROR HAD
TO BE FOLDED UP.
>> STAND BY.
>> I SEE YOU ARE WILL CONTINUE
WITH THE MOTOR.
>> AS THEY CONTINUE THE LATCHING
PROCEDURE, WE'LL LOOK BACK ON
THE LAUNCH.
THIS WAS A CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR
ALL OF US.
THIS WAS 7:30 EASTERN STANDARD
TIME IN THE UNITED STATES.
THERE YOU SEE THE LAUNCH OF THE
ROCKET.
HERE WE SEE THE WEBB TELESCOPE
COMING OFF THE ARIANE FIVE,
ABOUT A MILLION MILES AWAY FROM
EARTH.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOON.
IT'S A WONDERFUL ENVIRONMENT FOR
THE INFRARED EQUIPMENT.
IT IS VERY COLD.
THE TELESCOPE WAS ABLE TO POWER
ITSELF UP USING RADIATION FROM
THE SUN.
AFTER THAT CAME THE
AMAZING--THERE IS EVERYBODY
CELEBRATING.
PEOPLE PUT IN HUGE AMOUNTS OF
TIME.
THEY WERE HERE THROUGH THE
HOLIDAYS.
IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL JOYFUL, BUT
THERE ARE A LOT OF FAMILIES BACK
AT HOME WHO MISSED US AS WELL.
THE ANIMATION OF THE
COMMISSIONING POINTS OF WHAT WE
ACCOMPLISHED.
THE SOLAR ARRAY WAS UNFURLED,
THE TAKEN THAT ALLOWS THE WEBB
TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE EARTH.
NOW YOU SEE IT MOVING UP FROM
THE SUNSHIELD WHICH IS BEGINNING
TO UNFIELD.
THIS IS A FIVE-LAYER SUNSHIELD
MADE OF MATERIAL LIKE MYLAR.
IT THREE-DOOR IS SOME SILICON IN
IT TO MAKE IT MORE REFLECTIVE,
AND IT'S PUT TOGETHER IN SMALL
SEGMENTS.
THOU THAT INCREDIBLE SUNSHIELD
IS FULLY EXTENDED.
THE SECONDARY MIRROR CAME OUT A
FEW DAYS AGO AND YESTERDAY WE
SAW THE FIRST, AND TODAY WE'RE
COMPLETING.
NOW WE'VE GONE THROUGH AN UPDATE
AS TO THE TREMENDOUS JOURNEY
THIS OBSERVATORY HAS BEEN ON, IT
IS MY PLEASURE TO SPEAK WITH ONE
OF THE SENIOR ENGINEERS ON THE
WEBB TELESCOPE.
HE'LL TELL US ABOUT THE MIRRORS
AND TECHNOLOGY.
SO FOR ONE THING, LEE, WONDERFUL
TO SEE YOU.
WE'RE ALL ISOLATED FROM EACH
OTHER.
>> HI, MICHELLE.
>> WE'RE READY TO CONTINUE TO
BEGIN THE THREE-DOOR CUP LATCH
CAPTURE MOVE.
YOU ARE GOOD TO EXECUTE.
>> IN THE CONVERSATION YOU'LL
HEAR US PAUSE.
LEE, PHYSICAL WHERE YOU'RE
SITTING CAN YOU HEAR THE CALLS
FROM THE MOC?
>> I CAN HEAR THEM, YES.
>> GREAT, EXCELLENT.
FOR ONE THING BEFORE WE LAUNCH
INTO THE TECHNICAL TELL ME ABOUT
HOW YOU'RE FEELING RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE HUMAN BEINGS FIRST.
>> WELL, I FEEL GOOD.
I FEEL LIKE THE MECHANICAL AND
DEPLOYMENT TEAMS HAVE REALLY
DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB.
YOU KNOW, THE OPTICAL TEAM IS
JUST ABOUT TO GET STARTED.
IT'S SORT OF A TRANSITION TIME.
BUT TO SEE THE FULL PRIMARY
MIRROR, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT
WE'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT FOR A
LONG TIME.
AND IT IS A GREAT THING TO SEE
AND TO BE READY TO START
ASSIGNING THOSE MIRRORS.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THOSE MIRRORS.
THAT'S THE EXPERTISE THAT YOU
BRING TO US.
TO BEGIN WITH, THESE ARE
DIFFERENT MIRRORS THAN MOST
PEOPLE ARE USED TO IN THEIR
REGULAR LIVES IN MANY, MANY
WAYS.
INCREDIBLY SPECIALIZED.
TELL US HOW THESE MIRRORS ARE
COMPLETELY UNIQUE AND VERY
DIFFERENT.
>> YEAH WELL, LET ME START BY
SAYING WHEN WE STARTED THIS A
COUPLE OF DECADES AGO, YOU KNOW,
WE KNEW FROM THE VERY BEGINNING
ONE OF THE HARDEST POINTS OF
MAKING THE OBSERVATORY WAS GOING
TO BE MAKING OF THE MIRRORS.
IF YOU GO BACK TO THE FIRST
PROJECT MANAGER, HE USED TO HAVE
THIS CHART THAT WOULD SHOW ONE
OF THE KEY GOALS WAS TO MAKE A
MIRROR THAT COULD BE LIGHTER
THAN THE HUBBLE MIRROR BY TEN
TIMES PER UNIT AREA.
AND IT HAD TO WORK IN INCREDIBLY
COLD TEMPERATURES, MINUS
400 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, AND IT
HAD TO HAVE A QUALITY OF MIRROR,
IMAGE QUALITY.
THESE WERE A SET OF CHALLENGES
WERE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.
THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE WHO
THOUGHT WE COULD NOT MAKE
MIRRORS THIS LIGHT AND OF THIS
QUALITY.
SO IT WAS A COLLABORATIVE
EFFORT.
WE WORKED WITH OTHER NASA
AGENCIES INCLUDING THE
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
IT WAS A COLLABORATION TO INVEST
IN DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES, ONE
OF WHICH WAS A TECHNOLOGY IN
WHICH THE MIRROR HAS A BED OF
NAILS, BUT ONE OF THEM WAS
BERYLLIUM.
THEY CALLED IT AN OPTICAL GRADE
BERYLLIUM.
IT WAS DEVELOPED BY A COMPANY
THAT THEN BECAME ATERIAN.
IT WAS GOING TO HAVE MORE
UNIFORM PROPERTIES FOR THE
TELESCOPE.
THE KEY WAS CAN YOU BUILD LARGE
MIRRORS THAT ARE 1.3-METERS IN
DIAMETER.
IT WAS A SEVERAL-YEAR TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPMENT.
IT REALLY TOOK GROUPS FROM ALL
OVER THE UNITED STATES.
THE MACHINING WAS DONE IN
ALABAMA.
THE POLISHING WAS DONE IN
CALIFORNIA.
AND HERE YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE
BERYLLIUM THAT WAS MADE IN OHIO.
SO, WE DEVELOPED A TECHNOLOGY,
AND THERE WAS A MIRROR THAT WAS
ALMOST THE FULL SIZE OF WHAT THE
MULTI SEGMENTS LOOK LIKE THAT WE
CALLED A PROTOTYPE MIRROR.
SO THAT WAS A SINGLE PHASE OF
MAKING A MIRROR THAT WOULD MEET
OUR REQUIREMENTS INCLUDING A
GOLD CODING THAT WOULD REFLECT
INFRARED LIGHT.
IT WAS A TEAM FROM BOULDER,
COLORADO, MAKING THAT MIRROR.
BERYLLIUM ONE--WON OUT BECAUSE
OF ITS PROPERTIES IN VERY COLD
TEMPERATURES.
THE MATERIAL PROPERTY IS AS
PERFECT AS IT COULD BE FOR THESE
VERY COLD TEMPERATURES.
THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY REASONS
WHY WE SELECTED BERYLLIUM, AND
IT IS EXTREMELY LIGHT.
IF KEY DIDN'T MAKE MIRRORS THIS
LIGHT, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO
LIFT THEM WITH THE ROCKET.
WE THEN HAD TO MANUFACTURE THE
MIRRORS BUT THAT'S WHAT LED TO
THE MIRRORS.
>> THE STORY ACTUALLY GOES EVEN
FURTHER BACK THAN THAT.
THIS WAS A NEW TIME OF
BERYLLIUM, WHERE DID IT START?
WHERE DID IT COME OUT OF THE
GROUND?
>> IT'S ACTUALLY MINED IN UTAH.
AND YOU KNOW, IT'S MINED IN
THESE SORT OF CHUNK OF ROCKS
THAT EVENTUALLY WILL GET GROUND
UP, AND GET MADE INTO A POWDER
FORM.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
THEY WERE ABLE TO DO, IS MAKE A
FINER POWDER, A POWDER THAT HAS
MORE SPHERICAL QUALITIES, AND
THEN ONCE YOU GET THAT POWDER,
THIS IS WHAT THEY DID IN OHIO
JUST OUTSIDE OF CLEVELAND, ONCE
YOU GET THAT POWDER YOU CAN DO A
PROCESS THAT'S CALLED HIPPING,
IT'S A PROCESS THAT PUTS HEAT
AND PRESSURE ON THE BERYLLIUM
AND CREATES A BILLET OF
BERYLLIUM, A BLOCK OF BERYLLIUM
THAT WE WOULD SLICE INTO OREO
COOKIE TYPE BLANKS.
THE FIRST STEP WAS TO GO FROM
UTAH TO OHIO, AND THEN THEY WERE
SENT TO ALABAMA WHERE THE
MACHINING WAS THAT WOULD
LIGHTWEIGHT THE MIRROR.
THEY WOULD LITERALLY MACHINE A
SURFACE THAT WAS APPROXIMATE THE
SURFACE WE NEEDED FOR THE
MIRROR.
THAT WAS JUST THE FIRST PHASE.
THEN WE NEEDED TO GRIND AND
POLISH THE MIRROR.
ONE OF THE KEY THINGS HOW DO YOU
TEST MIRRORS THAT ARE INSIDE OF
A CRYOGENIC CHAMBER.
AND WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT
ALL 18 MIRRORS MATCH.
SO IF YOU MAKE ONE MIRROR AND
THEN A SECOND MIRROR AND ALIGN
THEM RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER,
THEY NEED TO HAVE THE SAME
CURVATURE.
WE HAD TO DEVELOP METHODS FOR
TESTING MIRRORS, AND THEN
POLISHING THE MIRROR.
WHEN YOU COOL THE MIRROR DOWN AT
MINUS 400 FAHRENHEIT, THE MIRROR
WILL LITERALLY DEFORM.
IT WILL SHRINK IMPERFECT.
ONCE WE KNEW HOW THEY WOULD
DEFORM.
WE WOULD WARM THE MIRROR BACK
UP, POLISH IT, AND POLISH IT IN
THE INVERSE OF THE WAY IT WOULD
DEFORM.
HERE YOU CAN SEE THE MIRRORS
GOING INTO THE CHAMBER.
THIS WAS A CHAMBER THAT WAS USED
FOR THE SPACE TELESCOPE THAT WAS
CONVERTED FOR TESTING THESE
MIRRORS.
THERE IS A SPECIAL LIQUID
INSIDE.
AND WE DEVELOPED NEW TEST
EQUIPMENT THAT COULD WORK IN THE
PRESENCE OF ALL THE VIBRATION WE
WOULD GET INSIDE THE VACUUM
CHAMBER.
WE DID ALL THAT WORK.
WE POLISHED THE MIRRORS WITH THE
INVERSE TO DEAL WITH THESE
COOL-DOWN EFFECTS.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT
THEY DEFORM UNDER GRAVITY.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THEY WERE
IN ANTI-GRAVITY.
THE MIRRORS WERE SO LIGHT THAT
THE GRAVITY WOULD DEFORM THE
MIRROR.
SO WE HAD TO POLISH THEM NOT
ONLY FOR THE COOLDOWN BUT THE
EFFECTS OF GRAVITY.
WE HAD TO COMBINE ALL THAT THAT
WE HAD TO HAVE 18 MIRRORS THAT
WOULD MATCH EACH OTHER.
IT WAS A CHALLENGING PROCESS.
THE WHOLE EFFORT.
TECHNOLOGY TO DEVELOPMENT WAS
ABOUT A DECADE.
FROM ABOUT 2000 TO 2010.
>> THAT'S ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.
WHAT YOU JUST SAID, THE WHOLE
IDEA IS YOU GET THESE 18
MIRRORS.
THEY HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER AS
ONE SINGLE MIRROR.
THE BIG PART OF THE
COMMISSIONING THAT WILL BE
HAPPENING IN A COUPLE OF--IN THE
FUTURE NOW.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SITUATERS
ON THE BACK.
THEY CAN CONTROL INDIVIDUALLY.
>> YES, IT'S FUNNY A LOT OF
PEOPLE HAVE SEEN PICTURES OF THE
WEB SPACE TELESCOPE.
AND IT LOOKS AMAZING.
BUT FOR AN ENGINEER, IT'S REALLY
THE BACK OF THE MIRROR.
IF WE COULD FREEZE THAT PICTURE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE BACK OF THE
MIRROR, THAT'S WHERE ALL THE
ENGINEERING IS.
FIRST THERE IS RUB STRUCTURE TO
KEEP THE MIRROR STRONG ENOUGH TO
LAUNCH.
BUT THEN YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO
ACTUATORS.
THERE ARE THREE PAIRS OF
ACTUATORS THAT WE CALL BI-PODS
THAT ALLOWS THE MIRROR TO TILT
AND MOVE AROUND IN SIX DEGREES
OF FREEDOM.
THEN THERE IS ONE ACTUATOR AT
THE CENTER OF THE MIRROR THAT
ALLOWS US TO A CHANGE THE
CURVATURE.
EACH MIRROR HAS SEVEN ACTUATORS.
AS TIME WENT ON WE UNDERSTOOD
BETTER HOW WE NEED TO MOVE THE
MIRRORS 20 MAKE THEM PERFECT
OVER THE FULL PRIMARY.
THEN WE NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND HOW
TO MOUNT THOSE ACTUATORS.
THE ACTUATORS THEMSELVES ARE
ACTUALLY AMAZING ACHIEVEMENT
THEMSELVES.
THEY WERE DESIGNED BY BALL
AEROSPACE USING THESE SPECIAL
LITTLE GUY MOTORS THAT CAN MOVE
THE MIRRORS IN STEPS THAT
THEY'RE IN A 1-# 20,000 OF A
HUMAN HAIR.
THAT IS SO ALL THE MIRRORS ARE
ALIGNED LESS THAN A WAVELENGTH
OF LIGHT IF YOU GO ACROSS THE
SERVICE.
BENEATHED TO HAVE ACTUATOR AND
THEN THEY HAVE TO SURVIVE
LAUNCH, AND DEAL WITH
VIBRATIONS, LAUNCH VIBRATIONS
AND THEN GET THE MIRRORS IN THE
OF--WE HAVE THEM IN A SPECIAL
POSITION WHERE THEY'RE DESIGNED
FOR LAUNCHING THEM.
THEY'RE IN A SECURE POSITION.
BUT IN THE COMING WEEK WE'LL
DEPLOY THE MIRRORS 20 A HALFWAY
SO THESE MOTORS NEEDED TO BE
ABLE TO GET YOU FORWARD BY A
HALF INCH AND THEN THROUGH THESE
SMALL STEPS.
IT TOOK A HUGE TEAM OF PEOPLE
ACROSS THE PEOPLE.
I MEAN, ALL OVER, WHILE WEBB IS
AN INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION,
THE TELESCOPE ITSELF BASS BUILT
WITHIN IF THE UNITED STATES.
BUT MAYBE OH 20 MOM THAT'S HOW
SIGNIFICANT OF AN EFFORT IT WAS
AND THAT'S HOW MUCH COORDINATION
IT TOOK THE TEAMS FROM NORTHROP
GRUMMAN AND AEROSPACE, THEY HAD
TO WORK WITH ALL THESE
SUBCONTRACTORS FROM ALL OVER THE
UNITED STATES.
>> I ACTUALLY BELIEVE WE HAVE A
MAP THAT WE CAN SHOW THE
DIFFERENT COLLABORATORS ALL OVER
THE UNITED STATES OF THE PRIMARY
MIRROR.
I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO RUN
THAT.
HERE WE ARE.
>> YES, BE.
>> IT'S LITERALLY ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY.
PEOPLE TWO WORK "W" BUT YEAH, IT
WAS A TEAM EFFORT.
WE THREE DIFFERENT NASA CENTERS
WORKING ON THIS.
I COME FROM GODDARD, WHICH WAS
THE OBSERVATORY AND TELESCOPE
WAS ALL INTEGRATED.
THEN FOLKS WERE MARSHALL SPACE
FLIGHT CENTER WHO HELPED WITH
THE TESTING AND MIRROR
TECHNOLOGY.
AND WE HAD JPL INVOLVED.
THEN THIS LARGE CONTRACTOR TEAM
NUMBER IT REALLY TOOK A LARGE
COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.
WHEN YOU WORK WITH SOMETHING
THAT IS SO INLED KNOB YOU GET
THE MOST INCREDIBLE PEOPLE, AND
THEY'RE SO DEDICATED BECAUSE
THEY KNOW HOW EXCITING IT IS.
AND EVERYONE WORKED
COLLABORATIVELY.
ALL THE FOLKS WHO WORKED ON
THIS, FROM THE PEOPLE WHO GROUND
THE MIRRORS TO THE PEOPLE WHO
PUT THE MOTORS TOGETHER.
A LOT OF THEM ARE MA'AM THEY'RE
FOLLOWING EVERY STEP WITH DETATE
WITH A LOT OF PRIDE.
YOU FOR EVERY ONE OF THOSE
PEOPLE THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF
PEOPLE WHO LED UP TO THAT POINT,
WHO ARE ALL WATCHING WITH PRIDE.
THAT'S WHAT IT TOOK TO GET TO
THIS POINT.
>> YES, IT'S AMAZING.
YOU TALK ABOUT EVERY STEP OF THE
WAY.
AT ONE POINT NUMBER NUMBER.
>> I GOT A CHANCE TO TALK WITH
THE FLIGHT CREW, AND THESE YOUNG
MEN WHO ARE IN CHARGE OF FLYING
THE AIRPLANE.
THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A WONDERFUL
THING TO DO.
WE TALKED A BIT ABOUT BUILDING
AND TESTING THE PRIMARY MIRRORS.
THEN THE IDEA THAT THESE
SEGMENTS, LIKE YOU SAID, THEY
HAVE TO FUNCTION NO ZERO
GRAVITY, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT
YOU CAN'T DO ON EARTH.
YOU NEED TO WHAT COMES NEXT IN
COMMISSIONING IS INCREDIBLE.
THAT'S GETTING ALL 18 OF THESE
SEGMENTS TO WORK TOGETHER.
MAYBE YOU CAN SET UP WHAT COMES
NEXT WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A
TIMELINE AND WHAT WE'LL DO TO
NO. .
>> WELL FIRST WE'RE GOING TO
START EXERCISING ALL THE LITTLE
MOTORS.
THERE ARE 142 ACTUATORS.
AND SO THE FIRST THING WE'RE
GOING TO DO IS CALLED MIRROR
DEPLOYMENT.
THAT'S ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF,
TWO-WEEK OPERATION.
THAT WILL BE STARTING AS EARLY
AS THIS CERTAIN.
THIS MIME WE WAITED FOR OVER A
WEEK FOR THE INSTRUMENTS GET
TOLD JUVENILE ENCOURAGE.
>> THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS
ABOUT BEING AN INFRARED
INVENTORY.
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS BELL' DO
IS LOOK AT A BRIGHT STAR AND WE
EXPECT TO SEE 18 SEPARATE IMAGES
THAT HAVE STAR THAT ARE REALLY
BLURRY.
>> ACTUALLY, WE HAVE ANIMATION
THAT HAVE.
WE CAN RUN THAT ANIMATION AGAIN.
>> YES, SO YOU CAN SEE COMING IN
TO THE 18 MIRRORS.
THEY WILL BEHAVE AS 18 SEPARATE
TELESCOPES BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT
ALIGNED YET.
AND THAT MAKES A SERIES OF
SPOTS.
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE'RE
GOING TO DO IS FIND ALL 18
SEGMENTS WITH THOSE SPOTS.
ULTIMATELY THEN WHAT WE NEED TO
DO IS GET THOSE SPOTS ON TOP OF
EACH OTHER.
WE'LL WE HAVE SPOTS THAT WE'RE
ABLE A NOBLE WE HAVE AN OFFICIAL
WAVEFRONT ROOM AND WE'LL HAVE A
TEAM OF REAL EXPERTS WHO HAVE
ALL WORKED TOGETHER.
THEY'LL GET THE IMAGES.
THEY'LL ANALYZE THEM USING
SOFTWARE.
THEY REHEARSED ALL THIS WITH,
THEY'VE DONE SIMULATIONS WITH
THIS, AND THEY'VE DONE THIS WITH
A TEST BED TELESCOPE THAT HAS OF
AT THAT POINT WE'LL GET INTO
PHASING.
PHASE PASSING GAP NUMBER NUMBER
IMAGINE YOU HAVE DIFFERENT
EXECUTIVER WE NEED TO BE ON THE
SAME WAVELENGTH OTHERWISE WE'LL
GET IMAGES THAT ARE KIND OF
CONFUSING.
WE'LL GO THROUGH A PROCESS
CALLED COURSE PHASING, WHERE
WE'LL GET ALL THE WAVES, ALL THE
MIRRORS LINED UP TO MAYBE ONE OR
TWO WAVES.
IMAGINE THE THEY'RE ALL ON THE
SAME WAVES BUT NOT QUITE.
THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH FINE
PHASING.
WE USE DIFFERENTIAL FORMER.
IF YOU GO BACK WHEN THE SPACE
TELESCOPE HAD ITS BLURRY PROBLEM
THERE WERE ELEMENTS FIGURED OUT
TO REPAIR HUBBLE.
THOSE SAME ALGORITHMS ARE
ACTUALLY BE APPLIED HERE TO A
LINE.
WE'LL TAKE IMAGES IN THE MAIN
SCIENCE CAMERA.
BUT WE'LL TAKE THEM TOO
FOCUSEDS.
INCH WE'LL RUN IT THROUGH THE
SPECIAL MOM THAT IS WHAT WILL
ALLOW US TO ALIGN THIS MIRROR
PERFECTLY.
VANELY WILL NUMBER MANY A COUPLE
OF WEEKS IT WILL LOOK LIKE 18
TRAITEST.
>> THAT'S KIND OF THE FIRST GOAL
OF THE ALIGNMENT PROCESS.
THEN WE'RE ALIGNING THE
SECONDARY MIRROR TO GIVE US AN
IMAGE OF A STAR THAT WORKS ON
ALL OUR INSTRUMENTS.
THAT MAKES ANOTHER MONTH, MONTH
AND A HALF.
SO THE WHOLE PROCESS IS ABOUT
THREE AND A HALF MONTHS.
WHICH CALL IT WAVEFRONT SENSING
AND CONTROL.
IT'S ALIGNING ALL THESE MIRRORS
TO ACT LIKE A PERFECT TELESCOPE.
AT THE END OF ALL THAT WE'RE
ABLE TO HAND OFF THE TELESCOPE
TO THE INSTRUMENT TEAMS WHO WILL
BE FINISHING UP WITH THE
CALLALATION OPERATION AND GET ON
WITH SOME OF THE SCIENCE.
>> THAT'S ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.
THAT'S A NICE PLACE FOR US TO
BREAK.
WE'LL BRING ON ONE OF THOSE
SCIENTISTS THAT IS WAIT TO GO
USE THE WEBB.
WE'RE TALKING WITH LEE FEINBERG,
SUCH ABURG TO HAVE YOU HEAR LEE.
CONGRATULATIONS.
>> THANK YOU, MICHELLE.
>> AND HOPE THE REST OF THE DAY
GOES VERY WELL FOR YOU.
>> YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE
JOINING US, YOU'RE WATCHING THE
LIVE COVERAGE OF THE JAMES I'M
MICHELLE THALLER FROM GOD CARD
SPACE FLIGHT CENTER.
IF YOU WANT TO JOIN US LATER
MUNCH ONCE BEGIN #UNFOLD THE
UNIVERSE.
THAT WILL NAVEL THE NEXT PERSON
WE'LL ATTACK WITH IS IT
ANTONELLA.
FIRST OFF, MANY CONGRATULATIONS.
IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL MORNING SO
FAR.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
>> IT IS AMAZING.
IT HAS BEEN AN AMAZING MORNING.
THE TEAM MADE IT LOOK SO EASY.
WE KNOW HOW
♪ IT JUST LOOKED SO AMAZINGLY HE
IS.
I'M SO KEY THIS IS THE MOMENT
THAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR A
FOR SO LONG.
>> IT'S INCREDIBLE.
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE JUST JOINED
US WE HAVE DEPLOYED THE SECOND
AND FINAL PART OF THE PRIMARY
MUCH POINTED YOU'RE LOOKING AT
MOC, THE MISSION OPERATION
CENTER.
OCCASIONALLY YOU'LL HEAR ME
PAUSE BECAUSE WE'RE LISTENING TO
COMMANDS.
THAT'S ALL FINE.
AND IN BETWEEN SNATCH.
YOU'RE AN ASTRO PHYSICIST, TELL
US WHAT SOME OF THE SCIENCE BE
FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE
DISTANT UNIVERSE, WE'RE ALL
FAMILIAR WITH THE HUBBLE.
AND WE KNOW THOSE DISTANCE
GALAXY NO. HUBBLE COULD PUSH US
OH ♪
♪ AND LOOK AT THE NORMAL THAT
WILL.
>> WE WANT TO KNOW HOW THAT
CAME THROUGH THE MILL CAN I WAY.
THOSE GALAXY HERE YOU SEEK A
BEAUTIFUL SLIDE THROUGH
♪ WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE
SOME GALAXIES, SOME SOME AS OLD
AS 400 MILLION YEARS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
13.2 MILLION'S SNATCHES OH WE'LL
BE ABLE TO SEE HOW THEY EVOLVED.
HOW WE LOOKED AT THEM THEN AND
HOW WE SEE THEM TODAY.
PLACED THIS HAS POWERFUL
SPECTOGRAM NO, AND WILL WE BE
ABLE TO TAKE IT.
AND FOR SHOWS OF YOU ARE
WATCHING ARE PRESIDENT REAGAN.
FOURTH OF JULY.
>> THE IMAGES TELL US HOW
OBJECTS LOOK LIKE.
BUT WE REALLY WANT TO KNOW THE
COMPOSITION, THE ELEMENTS WILL
NO. BUSY WEBB WAS MONIES TIMES
MORE FORTUNATELY NORMAL.
>> WE ARE.
>> THAT'S ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR
WITH HUBBLE, ANYWHERE YOU LOOK
INSIDE THERE, AND FOR OUR
VIEWERS WE GET A LOT OF
QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW IS IT THAT
WE'RE ABLE TO LOOK BACK IN TIME?
I'VE GOTTEN QUESTIONS ON SOCIAL
MEDIA RECENTLY ABOUT WHAT
DIRECTION DO YOU NEED TO LOOK TO
SEE THAT FAR BACK IN TIME.
MAYBE YOU CAN GIVE US A LITTLE
BIT OF AN ASTROM MY LISTEN OF
HOW WE CAN VIEW OUR OWN
UNIVERSE.
>> YEAH, YOU LOOK ANYWHERE.
WHEREVER YOU LOOK, YOUR EYESIGHT
LOOKS AS FAR AS IT CAN GO.
THE FASTEST YOU CAN GO.
THE VERY SAME BLACK HAD A WE'VE
SEEN IN THIS FIELD, FOR THE
LIVES OF EXERCISES BE WE SEE
THEM TODAY AND THEY WERE 13
ZILLION YEARS AGO.
THIS IS THE POWER FROM THE
AMAZING TELESCOPE WHO CAN LOOK
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE
FORMATION OF THE UNIVERSE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WEBB
WAS--WAS FOCUSING ON AUDITING OF
OUR UNIVERSE, AND WHAT IS THE
ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE.
AND WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF STARS.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT IF WE'RE
REALLY LUCKY, WE NIGHT BE TOIL
TO BELIEVE SEA HE.
BUT THERE IS ONE OF THE
SURPRISES THAT WEBB WILL BRING
US ENERGY HOW IS IT THAT ONE OF
THE QUESTIONS THAT GOT ON SOCIAL
MEDIA, DO ONLY PEOPLE WERE NASA
USE WEBB?
THAT'S NOT IT'S CASE.
YOU WORK AT THE TELESCOPE
SCIENCE INSTITUTE WHERE A LOT OF
THIS HAPPENS.
HOW IS WEBB ALLOCATED?
>> SO NEXT SUBMIT THEIR
PROPOSAL.
THE PROPOSAL WILL SAY I WANT TO
USE THIS INSTRUMENT TO MAKE THIS
AMAZING DISCOVERY.
WE'LL EVALUATE IT BY A GROUP OF
PEERS, AND EXPERTS IN THE
VARIOUS FIELD.
NUMBERED AND AS YOU SPEAK WE
HAVE ALREADY A FIRST YEAR
ALREADY SCHEDULED OF OBSERVATION
THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN OUT TO THE
COMMUNITIES, THE INSTRUMENT
BUILDERS.
WHO CAN ARRIVE TO EXPERIENCE
THEIR HARD WORK OVER FIRST
YEARS.
[MOVE 9-20.
>> AND YOU'RE GOOD TO CONTINUE.
>> THIS IS SO EXCITING.
TO HEAR WHAT IS GOING ON AT THE
SAME TIME.
WHICH IS ONE FLOOR BELOW US.
KUDOS TO THE TEAM FOR DOING SUCH
AN AMAZING WORK.
FOR ASTRONOMERS, THIS IS THE
BIGGEST GIFT THAT WE CAN GET.
AND WE'RE JUST LOOKING FORWARD
TO IT.
BUT WE WERE SEEING THE
APPROXIMATE PROPOSAL.
IT WILL BE DONE RIGHT AWAY.
THE OBSERVATION WILL BECOME
PUBLIC.
IT WILL JOIN THE ARCHIVES.
AND IT WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE
BECAUSE THE OBSERVATION WILL
SHOW THE CAPABILITY OF THIS VERY
POWERFUL OBSERVATORY.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS,
SOME OF EUROPEAN THAT WILL
EXECUTE IN THE VERY FIRST FEW
MONTHS.
THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WILL
SHOW THE WORLD HOW ACTUALLY WEBB
PERFORMS.
BEFORE THAT, WE WILL HAVE THE
EARLIER OBSERVATIONS.
THOSE ARE REALLY THE ONES THAT
WE'RE WAITING FOR.
WHICH IS GOING TO BE
SPECTACULAR.
IT WILL BE SHOWN TO THE WORLD
100 DAYS AFTER LAUNCH.
AFTER THE DAY OF THE
COMMISSIONING.
BUT I--
>> SO WE TALKED ABOUT THE EARLY
UNIVERSE.
ANOTHER PRIMARY SCIENCE GOAL OF
WEBB HAS TO BE WITH EXOPLANETS.
HOW DOES WEBB ANALYZE THE
ATMOSPHERE OF PLANETS AND STARS.
>> THIS IS A TECHNIQUE.
AND I WANT TO JUST TELL THE
COMMUNITY WHO IS LIVING, WHEN
HUBBLE WAS LAUNCHED WE DIDN'T
KNOW ABOUT EXOPLANETS.
NOW WE KNOW.
AND WE CAN SEE HOW THEY MOVE IN
FRONT OF THEIR STARS.
BY DOING THAT WE CAN SEE THE
COMPONENTS OF MA ATMOSPHERE.
SO YOU CAN SEE HERE THE PLANET
IS MOVING IN FRONT OF THE STAR.
AND THE INFRARED WE CAN SEE
IMPORTANT COMPONENTS ELEMENT OF
LIFE IN THE FUTURE.
VAPOR, CARBON DIOXIDE.
THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO SEE IF
THERE IS LIFE OUT THERE.
WE START LOOKING AT THE BUILDING
BLOCKS.
AND HOW IT IS MOVED FORWARD, WE
DO BELIEVE THAT BEING 100 TIMES
MORE SENSITIVE, WEBB WILL JUST
REVOLUTIONIZE THIS FIELD.
AND MAYBE WE'LL FIND ANOTHER
EARTH OUT THERE.
THAT'S THE BIG AWARD FOR THIS
WORK.
>> ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING
US.
I HOPE THE DAY CONTINUES TO BE
JOYFUL AND EXCITING AND AFTER
THIS WE ALL GET A BIT OF A
BREAK.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
THAT IS DR. ANTONELLA NOTA.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, MICHELLE.
GOOD LUCK TO ALL.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THE NEXT PERSON WE'LL BE
TALKING TO IS JOE WHO WILL TELL
US ABOUT THE ENGINEERING ASPECTS
OF THE TELESCOPE.
I'M HERE AT THE TELESCOPE
SCIENCE INSTITUTE IN BALTIMORE,
MARYLAND.
JOE, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US
TODAY.
REINTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TELL
BUS YOUR ROLE ON THE WEBB
TELESCOPE.
>> AS YOU MENTIONED, I'VE BEEN
WORKING ON THE TELESCOPE FOR 16
AND A HALF YEARS NOW WITH
NORTHROP GRUMMAN.
>> HOW HAS THE MORNING GONE FOR
YOU?
ARE YOU HAPPY THINGS HAVE GONE
WELL.
>> IT HAS BEEN GOING FANTASTIC.
EVERYTHING WE COULD HAVE HOPED
FOR WITH ALL OF THE OPERATIONS
AND HAS REALLY GONE TO OUR
EXPECTATION.
IT HAS BEEN A GREAT
COMMISSIONING SO FAR.
>> SO I GUESS ONE OF THINGS THAT
WE HAVE THAT WE CAN SHOW OUR
AUDIENCE ARE SOME FOOTAGE FROM
THE TEST BEFORE THE LAUNCH.
CAN YOU TELL US WHAT WE'RE
SEEING HERE?
>> YES, THIS IS THE DEPLOYING,
THIS IS THE PRE-OBSERVATORY
ENVIRONMENT, THE LAST TIME THAT
BOTH WERE DEPLOYED AT THE SAME
TIME OFF GROUND.
YOU CAN SEE THE OPERATIONS THAT
WENT THROUGH THERE WITH ALL THE
INDIVIDUALS PERFORMING THEIR
JOB.
DOWN THE LEFT, WATCHING THAT
WING DEPLOYMENT.
THAT'S PAUL REYNOLDS WHO IS
DOWNSTAIRS RIGHT NOW.
WATCHING WHAT IS GOING ON LIKE
HE WOULD HAVE THERE, OBSERVING
THE DEPLOYMENT AND OBSERVING
WHAT IS HAPPENING.
HE'S THERE TODAY WITH THE REST
OF THE MOC TEAM.
>> IN THE FOOTAGE YOU CAN SEE A
BLACK BORDER ON THE OUTSIDE OF
THE MIRROR.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT.
>> JUST SPEAKING TO THE BLACK
BORDER ON THE OUTSIDE OF ALL THE
MIRRORS.
THAT'S THERE FOR THE THRILL
OUTSIDE OF THE MIRRORS
THEMSELVES FOR THERMAL PURPOSES.
YOU HAVE KEEP THE BLACK NEXT THE
MIRRORS SO IT WILL NOT PICK UP
THE REFLECTION.
>> THEN OF COURSE THAT BEAUTIFUL
GOLD COATING.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THERE HAS
BEEN A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT.
WHY ARE THE MIRRORS COATED WITH
GOLD?
CAN YOU GIVE US AN EXPLANATION
FOR THAT, PLEASE?
>> I'M PROBABLY NOT THE BEST
PERSON TO GIVE YOU AN
EXPLANATION OF THAT ONE.
BUT IT WAS THE BEST MATERIAL
DETERMINED BY A NUMBER OF
SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS TO GIVE
US THE BEST PERFORMANCE FOR THE
OPTIC AND DATA.
>> WHEN YOU SEE THE DEPLOYMENT
AND TESTS THAT WERE DONE, IT
AMAZES ME THAT THIS WAS ALL DONE
IN EARTH.
THERE WAS NO WAY TO TEST IT IN
SPACE.
AND IN SPACE YOU DON'T HAVE THE
INFLUENCE OF GRAVITY WHERE ON
EARTH YOU DO.
HOW DO YOU DESIGN A TEST THAT
YOU KNOW WILL WORK IN ZERO
GRAVITY?
HOW DO YOU TAKE THAT INTO
ACCOUNT WHEN YOU'RE TESTING ON
EARTH?
>> THE KEY THING THERE IS YOU
HAVE TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF
THE LOADS WE WANT TO SEE AND THE
LOADS WE WANT TO COUNTER ACT OR
COUNTER BALANCE IN THE GRAVITY
FIELD.
WE DO WANT TO MAINTAIN THE
RESISTENCE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO
CHARACTERIZE OR UNDERSTAND F
THERE IS CERTAIN HARNESSING, WE
STILL WANT TOP CHARACTERIZE THAT
IN THE TEST AND YOU NEED TO
COUNTER ACT THAT THAT THERE IS
WEIGHT IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
THERE IS AN OFF LOAD SYSTEM THAT
WE OH USE FOR THAT.
IT WAS VISIBLE A LITTLE BIT IN
THE VIDEO THAT DID YOU SHOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL GO BACK TO
THAT OR NOT.
BUT IN THE CASE OF THE WINGS
THERE IS AN OVER HEAD SYSTEM.
THERE IS A CABLE GO UP FROM THE
WING ITSELF.
THERE IS A CABLE THAT GOES TO A
BALANCE BEAM, AND IT ALIGNS WITH
THE ROTATION AXIS OF THE WING.
AS THE WING IS TURNING IT'S
TURNING THE HARDWARE UP ABOVE IN
THE CRANE AREA.
IN THAT OPPOSITE END THAT HAVE
IS A WEIGHT TO BALANCE THAT OUT
SO YOU HAVE A LOAD OR TENSION IN
THAT CABLE THAT IS EQUIVALENT TO
WHAT THE WINGS.
AS IT IS ROTATING, IT DOES NOT
SEE THE WEIGHT OF THE WING.
IT'S NEARLY WEIGHTLESS SO YOU
CAN CAPTURE JUST THE LOADS OF
THE NOMINAL FLIGHT DEPLOYMENT,
WHICH IS A HARNESS OR
INSTALLATION OR NOMINAL DRAG
THAT YOU GET AS YOU RETATE.
>> ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.
SO IT'S BEEN SUCH A PLEASURE
HAVING YOU HERE JOE.
CONGRATULATIONS ON EVERYTHING
THAT HAS HAPPENED THIS MORNING
AND THE CONTINUED COMMISSIONING
THAT IS COMING UP.
WE'LL LET YOU GO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING TO
US ABOUT THE TESTING.
GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.
SO FOR THOSE PEOPLE IN THE
AUDIENCE WHO ARE JUST JOINING
US, YOU'RE SEEING THE LIVE
COMMISSIONING OF THE JAMES WEBB
TELESCOPE.
THIS IS THE SECOND WING OF THE
PRIMARY MIRROR.
WE NOW HAVE THE WHOLE PRIMARY
MIRROR TOGETHER AND WE'RE
CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN LATCHING
THAT IN ITS FINAL SPACE.
THAT PROCEDURE WILL HAPPEN FOR A
COUPLE OF HOURS AND WE'LL BE TO
THE END OF IT.
WE'LL TAKE A SHORT BREAK IN OUR
COMMENTARY.
WHEN WE COME BACK WE'LL TALK TO
MORE EXPERTS ON THE JAMES WEBB
TELESCOPE.
YOU'RE SEEING MORE COVERAGE FROM
THE MOC.
I'LL TAKE MORE QUESTIONS FROM
SOCIAL MEDIA.
USE THE #UNFOLD THE UNIVERSE.
WE'LL SEE YOU SOON.
>> EARLIER IN THE DAY WE
SUCCESSFULLY DEPLOYED THE IMAGE
WING.
AND WHAT IS GOING TO BE
HAPPENING IS LATCHING THAT INTO
PLACE.
WE MAY PAUSE AS WE LISTEN TO
CONVERSATION FROM MOC, OR THE
MISSION OPERATION CENTER HERE.
WE'RE OPERATING UNDER SPECIAL
CIRCUMSTANCES BECAUSE OF THE
COVID SERGE.
WE'RE ALL ISOLATED.
I'M DOWNSTAIRS IN THE CONFERENCE
ROOM SO I CAN SPEAK TO YOU
WITHOUT A MASK ON.
JULIE IS UPSTAIRS.
YOU'LL NOTICE EVERYONE IS MASKED
INSIDE THE CONTROL ROOM.
WE HAVE A LARGE BEAUTIFUL SET AT
GODDARD SPACE CENTER THAT IS
BEAUTIFUL, BUT IT WAS IMPORTANT
FOR US TO BRING YOU ALONG ON
THIS HISTORIC DAY.
THIS IS THE OH MOST COMPLEX
OBSERVATORY EVER BUILT.
IT IS BUILT TO ANSWER THE
QUESTIONS OF THE ORIGINS OF
STARS, GALAXIES, PLANETS, US.
IF THERE ARE PLANETS LIKE THE
EARTH AROUND OTHER STARS.
AND MANY OTHER THINGS.
THE ROCKET WAS LAUNCHED FROM
FRENCH GUIANA, FROM KOUROU,
WHICH IS IN SOUTH AMERICA.
IT IS NOW IN ITS FINAL RESTING
PLACE OF L2.
THAT IS THE LAGRANGE POINT WHICH
IS A GREAT PLACE TO PLACE THIS
OBSERVATORY.
IT IS UNFOLDING.
IT WAS SO LARGE IT HAD TO BE
FOLDED TO FIT INSIDE THE ROCKET.
THAT IS THE UNIQUE THING ABOUT
WEBB THAT HAS NOT BEEN ATTEMPTED
BEFORE IN UNFOLDING AND
COMMISSIONING.
SO WE WANTED TO BRING THIS TO
YOU LIVE.
THE SCHEDULE IS NOT KNOWN TO THE
MINUTE.
THE ENGINEERS WILL CALL OUT THE
COMMANDS AS THEY SEE FIT, AND AT
THE PACE THEY WANT TO GO AT.
SO THIS IS A BROADCAST THAT IS
NOT ONLY LIVE, BUT SORT OF VERY
MUCH SPUR OF THE MOMENT AS WE
WAIT TO SEE WHICH COMMANDS COME
IN AND HOW LONG THEY DECIDE TO
TAKE FROM EACH STEP.
BUT I THINK YOU CAN REITERATE
THAT THINGS ARE GOING VERY WELL
SO FAR.
>> YES, SO FAR, OUR ACTUAL
MOTION OF THE MIRRORS SEGMENTS
AS THEY FOLDED FROM BEING BACK
ALONG SIDED STRUCTURE TO ITS
FINAL POSITION AS YOU SEE IT NOW
IN OUR VISUALIZATION TOOL, IT
WENT EXTREMELY WELL.
THE MOTORS WORK PERFECTLY.
THE LAUNCH RELEASES BEFORE THAT
WORKED PERFECTLY.
NOW THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF
LATCHING IN THEIR FINAL POSITION
SO THE MIRRORS ARE ALIGNED AND
READY FOR THE NEXT STEPS WHICH
WE HAD SPOKE TO JUST A FEW
MINUTES AGO.
>> SO JUST LOOKING AT SOME OF
THE SOCIAL MEDIA QUESTIONS
COMING IN.
THIS IS ONE WE CAN ANSWER.
MY EIGHT-YEAR-OLD SON WANTS TO
KNOW WHY THE MIRROR IS A SET OF
HEXAGONS?
WHY WAS THAT SHAPE CHOSEN FOR
THE MIRROR?
JULIE, YOU CAN PROBABLY ANSWER
THAT ONE.
>> SURE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE HEXAGON
SHAPE PACKS IN NICELY IN A
CIRCLE.
MOST TELESCOPES THAT YOU CAN BUY
IN A STORE--HAS A ROUND MIRROR.
IT GIVES YOU THE BEST AMOUNT OF
LIGHT COLLECTED PERUSE.
IT GIVES YOU A NICE USEABLE
THEME.
THE--THE HEXAGON HAS A NICE
PACKING SHAPE.
IT FITS AROUND THE OPTICS THAT
POKES OUT.
THE NOSE IN THE MIDDLE IS THE
OBJECT THAT FOLDS THE BEAM A
COUPLE OF TIMES BEFORE IT'S SENT
IMPACT TO THE SCIENCE
INSTRUMENT.
THE OUTSIDE SHAPE OF THE MIRROR
ITSELF DOES NOT MATTER AS MUCH.
EACH OF THE EDGES OF THE SPHERES
ARE VERY CAREFULLY HANDLED TO
MAKE SURE THAT THEY EDGES ARE
PERFECTLY HANDLED WITH HOW THE
GOLD COATING REACHES THE EDGES
OF THOSE.
SO THE HEXAGON GAVE US A GREAT
SHAPE IN HANDLING THE MIRROR IN
ITS MOVEMENT IN THE WAY THAT LEE
HAD DESCRIBED, AND IT GAVE THE
BEST APPROXIMATEOF ROUND.
>> WE'LL PAUSE.
>> SO AT THIS TIME I CAN REALLY
CONFIRM THAT IT IS READY TO
BEGIN THE THREE-DOOR CUP LATCH.
THAT'S GOING TO BE MOTOR MOVE 13
OF 20.
>> COPY THAT.
>> THAT COMMAND LINE LOOKS GOOD.
YOU'RE GOOD TO EXECUTE.
>> COPY.
>> EXECUTING.
>> AND YOU'RE GOOD TO CONTINUE.
>> I SEE YOU SMILE THERE, JULIE.
[ CHUCKLING ]
>> YES.
>> WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE
OPERATING--WE'RE IN THE LATCHING
PROCEDURE.
THIS WILL TAKE A COUPLE OF HOURS
THAT THE MIRROR WAS MOVED THIS
MORNING.
NOW IT'S BEING LATCHED INTO ITS
FINAL PLACE.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT
QUESTIONS OF HOW WE DESIGN
THINGS OF HOW WE OPERATE AT THIS
VERY LOW TEMPERATURE.
THIS MAY BE SOMETHING THAT YOU
AS A MECHANICAL ENGINEER, JERRY
FROM TWITTER ASKED WHAT KIND OF
LUBRICANTS ARE REQUIRED?
OR ARE THEY ELECTRICALLY HEATED.
AS YOU SAID, NOT MUCH MORE THAN
100 DEGREES ABOVE ABSOLUTE ZERO.
CAN YOU TELL US HOW YOU DESIGNED
AN ACTUATOR IN THAT COLD?
>> THAT WAS ONE OF OUR MAJOR
CHALLENGES.
AS YOU HEARD A LITTLE BIT--THAT
THE--I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
>> THERE IS A LOT GOING ON.
>> WHEN LEE WAS TALKING ABOUT
THE GEARS SWINGING INTO
POSITION, THEY HAVE A PARTICULAR
TYPE OF LUBE ON IT.
WE DO HEAT THESE PARTICULAR ONES
UP BECAUSE THEY'RE WHAT IS
CALLED A WEBB LUBE, WHICH WE
WANT AT A SPECIAL TEMPERATURE.
MOST OF THE DRY LUBE IS USED IS
ESSENTIALLY A VERY SOFT MATERIAL
THAT IS NOT A LIQUID AT ALL.
IT IS A SOLID MATERIAL THAT GETS
COATED ON TO THE SURFACE OF A
JOINT.
AND THE SURFACE OF THE JOINT
KIND OF SMEARS ACROSS THAT SOFT
METAL, AND IT HAS A VERY LOW
FRICTION.
IT IS INTERESTING BECAUSE WE ARE
USING IT AT SUCH LOW
TEMPERATURES AND AS WE'VE TALKED
ABOUT BEFORE THERE WAS SUCH A
LONG PERIODS OF TIME IN
DESIGNING AND BUILDING WEBB.
ONE OF THE MAJOR THINGS WE HAD
TO GO THROUGH WAS A LIFETIME
TEST.
IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SIMULATE
EXACTLY HOW LONG YOU'RE GOING TO
BE IN IN TEST IN THE GROUND.
IF YOU WANT TO SAY THAT YOUR
MECHANISM IS GOOD FROM THE DAY
THAT WE COAT OUR--OUR JOINT TO
THE DAY THAT WE'RE FINISHED USE
GOING TO ON ORBIT, AND MAYBE
THAT'S A PERIOD OF TEN YEARS.
MAYBE THAT'S A PERIOD OF 20
YEARS.
MAYBE WE HAVE LOTS OF FUEL, AND
WE CAN DO IT FOR 30 YEARS.
HOW DO YOU GET TO QUALIFY THAT?
>> SO THE CRYOGENIC TEMPERATURE.
IT NEVER CONTACT AIR.
IT IS NEVER EXPOSED TO OXYGEN.
OXYGEN CAN CREATE CHUNKY PIECES
OF OXIDATION.
SO ONCE WE'RE IN ORBIT WE'RE
PRETTY GOOD WITH THIS.
BUT THE QUALIFICATION HAD TO
FIGURE OUT HOW MANY TIMES TIMES
ARE WE GOING TO MOVE THIS IN
AIR, IN VACUUM OR CRYOGENIC
TEMPERATURES.
ALL IN THE TESTING LIFETIME.
AND THEN PUT ON TOP OF THAT HOW
LONG WILL IT BE USED IN SPACE IN
THOSE CONDITIONS?
WILL IT HAVE ENOUGH LIFE IN THAT
JOINT.
SO THAT WAS A GREAT QUESTION.
>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.
THIS IS PART OF THIS IDEA OF
CRYO ENNEENER, MAKING THINGS
THAT WILL WORK FOR A LONG TIME
AND WORK RELYBLY UNDER THESE
TYPES OF TEMPERATURES.
THERE ARE MORE QUESTIONS COMING
IN FROM SOCIAL MEDIA, HOW DID
YOU MANAGE THE TEST THE MIRRORS
WITH ALL THE FORMATIONS.
IT'S NOT JUST THE FORMATIONS
CAUSED BY GRAVITY VERSUS NO
GRAVITY, BUT THE DEFORMATIONS
CAUSED BY TEMPERATURE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE HAD
THE PRESSURE OF BEING ABLE TO
WATCH IN ALL THE DIFFERENT
STAGES OF TESTING OF THIS.
MAYBE YOU CAN TALK ABOUT SOME OF
THE CRYO TESTS THAT THIS HAD TO
GO THROUGH?
>> SURE.
THE WAY NASA APPROACHES THIS,
AND ALL OF TO SAW IT AT THE MOST
BASIC LEVEL.
YOU SAW IT IN THE MIRRORS THAT
WERE BUILT AND ASSEMBLED, AND WE
TALKED ABOUT MIRROR
MANUFACTURING ALONG THE WAY.
EVERY COMPONENT, YOU START AT
THE COMPONENT LEVEL.
LIKE THE PIECE PARTS.
YOU STARTED, AND EVEN AT
CRYOGENIC TEMPERATURES YOU MIGHT
START OFF DOING JUST CRYO
CYCLES, JUST TO MAKE SURE
♪
>> SO WE'LL CONTINUE WITH THE
THREE DOOR--SORRY, THE
THREE-DOOR LATCH BEFORE WE
CONTINUE WITH THE TWO-DOOR
LATCH.
THAT IS MOTOR MOVE 14 OF 20.
>> COPY.
>> AND THAT COMMAND LINE LOOKS
GOOD.
YOU'RE GOOD TO EXECUTE.
>> EXECUTING.
>> AND YOU'RE GOOD TO CONTINUE.
>> SO JUST TO WRAP UP OUR
CONVERSATION ON CRYO TESTING.
SOME MATERIALS SPECIFICALLY ARE
CARBON TUBE MATERIALS THAT YOU
COULD SEE IN OUR CURRENT
VISUALIZATION WITH A TUBE THAT
THEY'RE MADE OUT OF A CARBON
STRUCTURE THAT HAS A POLYMER
THAT IS CREATED TO WORK IN
DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES.
THERE IS LOTS OF STUFF THAT WE
DO EARLY ON TO HELP THESE
MATERIALS DEAL WITH THE
CRYOGENIC.
>> SO THEY'RE IN THEIR FINAL
STAGES OF MOVING THE LATCHES IN
THEIR FULL POSITIONS SO THEY'LL
HAVE THE FULL LOAD ON THEM.
IT WILL BE THE FINAL THING THAT
HOLD THE MIRROR DOWN.
WE DID THIS WITH THE OTHER SIDE
YESTERDAY.
ONCE IT'S IN ITS FINAL POSITION
WE NEVER TOUCH THESE LATCHES
AGAIN.
EVERY MOTION THAT IT IS.
>> JULIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
JOINING US.
I THINK WE'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO
TALK TO YOU LATER IN THE
BROADCAST.
THOSE OF US JUST JOINING US,
WE'RE WATCHING LIVE
COMMISSIONING OF THE JAMES WEBB
TELESCOPE.
>> AT THIS TIME WE HAVE JUST
ABOUT A LITTLE MORE THAN AN HOUR
BEFORE WE BEGIN OUR ACTIVITIES
TO HAND OVER TO MADRID.
THAT WILL START AT 1815 WHEN
WE'LL LOSE COVERAGE ON THE
MADRID BACK UP WE'LL HAVE SINGLE
ANTENNA FOR FIVE MINUTES.
AT 1825, STANBERRA WILL END
THEIR TRACK, MADRID PRIME WILL
START THEIR TRACK.
THEN BRING UP THE UP LINK AS
SOON AS THEY'VE WIRED TELLMETRY.
THEN FIVE MINUTES LATER OUR
MADRID BACK UP STATION LYMPH
LOSE COMMAND.
AT 1820.
GET COMMAND BACK AT 1825, AND
THEN BACK AT 1830.
THERE WILL BE CONTINUOUS
TELEMETRY EXCEPT FOR A FEW
INTERPRETATIONS.
I'LL CALL THEM OUT BEFORE THEY
OCCUR.
>> COPY THAT.
>> ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US, JULIE.
ALL RIGHT.
WE'RE LISTENING TO LIVE COMMANDS
FROM THE MISSION OPERATION
CENTER I'M MICHELLE THALLER.
FOR ANYONE JUST JOINING US,
YOU'RE WATCHING THE LIVE
COMMISSIONING.
>> BUNCH.
>> THE WAY WEBB COMMUNICATES
WITH THE EARTH IS THAT THERE ARE
SEVERAL LARGE ANTENNA RADIO
DISHES AROUND THE WORLD.
AND AS THE EARTH TURNS, CERTAIN
DISHES BECOME INTO VIEW AND OUT
OF VIEW OF THE WEBB TELESCOPE.
THE WEBB TELESCOPE IS GOING OUT
TO 1 MILLION MILES AWAY.
LA GAUGE, A WONDERFUL PLACE TO
PARK AND P.M. IT HAS BEEN AN
INCREDIBLE JOURNEY.
IT WAS LAUNCHED ON
DECEMBER 25TH FROM FRENCH
GUIANA, FROM KOUROU.
THIS IS ONE OF THE MAJOR PARTLY
FIRST IN THE JAMES WEBB
TELESCOPE.
OTHER THE TELESCOPE HAS BEEN ON
AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY.
THERE HAS BEEN UNFOLDING OF THE
PRIMARY MIRROR.
IT WAS SHIPPED TO CALIFORNIA
WHERE IT WAS PUT ON THE ACTUAL
SPACECRAFT.
YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE
INTEGRATION.
YOU SEE THIS LARGE PRIMARY
MIRROR.
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TODAY.
THE FINAL WING WAS DEPLOYED.
IT IS NOW BEING LATCHED INTO
SPACE.
>> YOU'RE SEEING
♪ EACH UP OF THE PLAYERS MAKES
THE LAYER ABOVE IT A LITTLE BIT
COLDER UNTIL YOU GET TO THE
TELESCOPE WHICH HAS AN OPERATING
TEMPERATURE EVER UNDERMINE NEWS
400 DEGREES.
JULIE VAN CAMPEN WAS TALKING
ABOUT DIFFERENT TEST THAT WAS
REQUIRED TO MAKE SURE THAT
DIFFERENT PONE MEANTS
♪ THE MIRROR ITSELF IS A LITTLE
OVER SEVEN METERS, ABOUT SEVEN
AND A HALF METERS ACROSS, WHICH
IS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.
A LONG JOURNEY TO GET IT HERE
FROM GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT
CENTER.
AT DIFFERENT UNIVERSITIES WHERE
DIFFERENT INSTRUMENTS WERE
BUILT.
THEN IT WAS FINALLY TESTED IN
THE YES, MA'AM.
>> YOU'LL HEAR ME PAUSING IN THE
COMMENTARY JUST SO WE CAN LISTEN
TO WHAT THE COMMANDS ARE.
CURRENTLY THEY'RE LATCHING THE
TELESCOPE INTO ITS FINAL SPACE.
IT HAS BEEN AN AMAZING PITCH THE
FIRST THING THAT HAPPENED A WEEK
AGO WAS THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE
SUNSHIELD.
THAT WAS DRAMATIC AND
INCREDIBLE.
AND THEN CAME THE SECONDARY
MIRROR.
IT HAS TO COME OUT IN FRONT OF
THE PRIMARY FOCUSING MIRROR.
THE LIGHT OF ALL OF THOSE SEVERE
REGULARMENTS WHICH DIRECTS THE
LIGHT DOWN.
YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE MAJOR
DEPLOYMENTS THAT WEBB HAS BEEN
THROUGH.
THE FIRST DEPLOYMENT THAT WE SAW
FROM CAMERAS FROM THE ROCKET
HAD ♪ OPERATING TEMPERATURES
NEAR MINUS 400 DEGREES
FAHRENHEIT.
THAT WAS A BAFFLED--THAT WAS TO
HELP STEADY ITSELF IN THE SOLAR
WIND.
AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE
DEPLOYMENT OF THE SUNSHIELD.
THIS, OF COURSE S A SECURITY
ANIMATION.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY CAMERAS ON
WEBB ITSELF.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN
ABLE TO DO NOW IS SEE HE 4 SO
THE TELESCOPE HAS BEEN SENDING
US SIGNALS AS TO WHAT
CONFIGURATION IT IS IN.
WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THAT THIS
MORNING.
WHEN YOU SEE THAT SECONDARY
MIRROR COME OUT ON THOSE LONG
BOONS.
YESTERDAY, THE NEXT THING THAT
HAPPENS IS ONE OF THESE SEGMENTS
IS QUICK IN PLACE.
THAT WAS THE ACTIVITY YESTERDAY.
THIS MORNING THE FINAL WING OF
THE PRIMARY MIRROR IS IN PLACE.
SO WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL GUEST
JOINING US NEXT.
WE HAVE GREG ROBERTSON.
THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE WHO
MENTIONED GREG IN THE BROADCAST
TODAY BEING ONE AN INCREDIBLE
LEADER.
OH.
>> HE'S READY TO CONTINUE TO THE
LATCH DOOR WHICH IS 16 OF 20.
STANDING BY.
>> GREG, WE'LL CONTINUE WITH YOU
WHEN WE SEE THE COMMENTARY.
I THINK WE'RE GOOD TO GO.
WELCOME GREG.
>> THANK YOU, MICHELLE, GLAD TO
BE HERE.
>> CONGRATULATIONS TO BE HERE ON
THIS VERY SUCCESSFUL AND
EXCITING MORNING.
HOW ARE YOU FEELING RIGHT NOW.
>> I'M FEELING REALLY GOOD.
THIS IS A HUGE MILESTONE TO
COMPLETE ALL OF THE DEPLOYMENTS.
THIS WAS THE STAGE WHERE WE FELT
WE HAD THE MOST RISK IN THE
MISSION.
IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THIS PART
BEHIND US.
>> TELL US LILT BIT ABOUT YOUR
ROLE.
YOU'RE AT NASA HEADQUARTERS.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR ROLE FOR THE
LARGER MISSION?
>> I'VE BEEN ON THE PROGRAM FOR
YEARS--FOR FOUR YEARS, SO I'M
THE BABY.
I PROVIDE OVER SIGHT TO THE
PROJECT, EXECUTION, LEADERSHIP
GOING UP TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE
LEVEL, AND EXTERNAL WITH OUR
STAKEHOLDERS, PLUS OUR
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS.
PEOPLE TIME AND TIME AGAIN HAVE
COMMENTED WHAT A WONDERFUL TEAM
THIS IS.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT SOME
OBSERVATIONS OF HOW WELL THIS
TEAM HAS WORKED TOGETHER UNDER
VERY CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES.
>> THIS IS CERTAINLY AN AMAZING
TEAM.
>> WE'RE GOOD TOLL CONTINUE WITH
THE MOTOR MOUNTED.
>> COPY THAT TO CONTINUE.
>> ROGER.
>> I MEANS WE'RE MAKING
PROGRESS.
A VERY LARGE TEAM ACROSS THE
GLOBE.
YOU MENTIONED THAT.
ACROSS THE ENTIRE INDUSTRIAL
BASE IN THE U.S. AND ACROSS THE
GLOBE.
THE MARYLAND TEAM, WE'VE HAD
TREMENDOUS SUPPORT ENGAGEMENT
AND FOCUS.
AND SO IT HAS BEEN TRULY ONE
TEAM.
>> I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT SURPRISES PEOPLE ABOUT
LARGE MISSIONS.
IT IS NOT A SINGLE.
>> THE MOVE WILL TAKE ABOUT 14
MINUTES.
>> 14 MINUTES.
COPY THAT, THANK YOU.
>> FOR THOSE JOINING US WE'RE
WATCHING THE PROCEDURE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE
PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THE LARGE
MISSIONS THAT THEY'VE HEARD,
EVERYTHING FROM MARS ROVERS TO
HUBBLE TELESCOPE AND NOW THE
WEBB TELESCOPE.
THESE ARE INTERNATIONAL
COLLABORATIONS NOT JUST BETWEEN
INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS, GOVERNMENT
PARTNERS, UNIVERSITY PARTNERS.
MAYBE GIVE A SENSE OF THE RANGE
OF PARTNERS THAT GOES INTO THE
WEBB MISSION.
>> THE PARTNERSHIP
INTERNATIONALLY, THE EUROPEAN
SPACE AGENCY AND THE CANADIAN
SPACE AGENCY.
14 COUNTRIES INCLUDES THE GLOBE.
IT HAS BEEN A HUGE TEAM, AND THE
INDUSTRIAL BASE HAS BEEN
LIMITLESS.
IF I TRIED TO NAME ALL OF THE
COMPANIES AND INSTITUTES AND
UNIVERSITIES, I WOULD BE HERE
LATE IN THE DAY.
AND OVER THE LIFE OF THE
DEVELOPMENT, MORE THAN 10,000
PEOPLE TOUCHED WEBB.
EXTERNALLY WE TALK A LOT ABOUT
TECHNICAL CAREERS.
MANY PEOPLE WHO TOUCH WEBB MADE
IT POSSIBLE, INCLUDING ALL TYPES
OF DISCIPLINES.
OF COURSE, THE HEAVY LIFTING.
>> WHAT WAS YOUR PATH TO WEBB.
YOU MENTIONED ALL THESE
TECHNICAL CAREERS.
WHAT WAS YOUR EDUCATION AND HOW
DOES YOUR CAREER BRING YOU TO
THIS POINT?
SO I'M--I STARTED MY CAREER MANY
YEARS AGO.
AT GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER
I'VE HAD MANY LEADERSHIP ROLES.
AT HEADQUARTERS I WAS DEPUTY OUT
AT GLENN RESEARCH CENTER.
AND PRIOR TO THIS ROLE I WAS AN
SMD FOR PROGRAMS WHICH CONSIST
OF OVER SIGHT OF ALL THE--I
THINK THERE WERE 110, 114, AND
THEN FOUR YEARS AGO SOMEONE
TWISTED BOTH OF MY ARMS, AND
SAID LET'S GET THIS THING OVER
THE GOAL LINE, AND I THINK WE
WERE PRETTY CLOSE.
>> NASSAU LOVES ITS ACRONYMS.
IS SM ASSOCIATE MISSION
DIRECTORATE.
THE WONDERFUL GROUNDWORK YOU
LAID WITH THESE PARTNERSHIPS AND
WORKING TOGETHER.
HOW WOULD THIS MISSION SHAPE THE
FUTURE OF ASTROPHYSICS OF NASA.
>> FROM A LAYMAN'S STANDPOINT,
FOR NASA IT IS HUGE.
IT ADDS TO THE HISTORY OF WHAT
NASA CAN DO.
A VERY COMPLEX, LARGE MISSIONS
THAT REALLY OPEN THE DOORS FOR
MANY DISCOVERIES.
OF COURSE YOU HEARD ALL OF THE
WEBB LOOKING HABITABILITY OF
EXPO PLANETS AND STUDYING OF THE
SOLAR SYSTEM.
SO IT WILL DO BETTER THAN
ANYTHING WE'VE DONE TO DATE.
AND IT SHOWS WITHIN NASA AND
STAKEHOLDERS AND ACROSS THE
GLOBE, WHAT NASA IS CAPABLE OF
DOING.
AND WE CAN DO MORE WHEN WE HAVE
EXCELLENT PARTNERSHIPS LIKE WE
HAVE TODAY.
>> WELL, GREG, THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR JOINING US.
CONGRATULATIONS ON A WONDERFUL
MORNING AND CONGRATULATIONS ON
THE EXCELLENT LEADERSHIP YOU'VE
LED IN THIS PROGRAM.
WE'LL TAKE A BREAK AND YOU'LL
SEE CONTINUOUS IMAGES FROM THE
MOC, AND OUR OBSERVATORY
VISUALIZATION TOOL THAT YOU SEE
ON THE TOOL.
THIS IS A COMPUTER GENERATED
DATA THAT IS COMING DOWN FROM
THE OBSERVATORY.
WE'LL TAKE A BREAK AND THEN
RETURN TO THE LIVE COMMENTARY OF
THE JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE.
>> STANDS BY FOR PARAMETER
REVIEW.
>> THE PARAMETERS ARE GOOD.
YOU'RE GOOD TO CONTINUE WITH THE
MOTOR MOVE.
>> COPY WITH THE MOTOR MOVE.
>> HELLO AND WELCOME BACK TO
LIVE COVERAGE OF THE
COMMISSIONING OF THE JAMES WEBB
TELESCOPE.
I'M MICHELLE THALLER.
YOU'RE LISTENING TO LIVE
COMMENTARY.
NOTICE I'M PAUSING BECAUSE THERE
ARE DIFFERENT COMMANDING COMING
FROM THE MISSION OPERATION
CENTER OR THE MOC.
THERE WERE TWO WINGS THAT NEEDED
TO BE DEPLOYED INTO PLACE FOR
THE MIRROR TO BE FUNCTIONING.
THAT HAS HAPPENED, AND WHAT IS
HAPPENING NOW IS LATCHING.
THESE ARE LATCHES THAT WILL
SECURE THE MIRROR IN ITS FINAL
CONFIGURATION.
I'LL PAUSE THE COMMENTARY WHEN I
HEAR THE COMMANDS COMING IN FROM
THE MISSION OPERATION CENTER.
IT HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE
MORNING AND AN INCREDIBLE
JOURNEY FOR THE LAUNCH OF THE
JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE.
IT IS ON ITS WAY TO ITS FINAL
LOCATION.
IT'S FINAL PARKING ORBIT AT L2
THE LAGRANGE.
THIS SCHEDULE IS SET BY THE
ENGINEERING SO WE DON'T KNOW
EXACTLY WHAT TIME THIS WILL END.
THE IDEA IS THAT WE'LL BE HERE.
>> IT IS COMPLETE AND WE'RE
READY TO CONTINUE, BOTTOM DOOR
LATCH 19 OF 20.
>> EXECUTING.
>> YOU'RE GOOD TO CONTINUE.
>> COPY THAT, GOOD TO CONTINUE.
>> BY THE END OF THE BROADCAST
WE'LL HAVE THE FINAL
CONFIRMATION THAT EVERYTHING HAS
LATCHED INTO PLACE.
THIS HAS BEEN AN AMAZING COUPLE
OF DAYS THAT THE MAJOR
INSTALLATIONS REQUIRED FOR THE
FUNCTIONING OF THE JAMES WEBB
TELESCOPE.
IT IS NOT THE END.
WE STILL HAVE PLENTY LEFT TO DO,
THE NEXT THING AFTER THIS IS
THAT THE TELESCOPE WILL HAVE TO
COOL DOWN.
THEN WE'LL BEGIN COMMISSIONING
THE PRIMARY MIRROR WHICH IS IN
18 SEPARATE SEGMENTS.
EACH SEGMENT WILL BE MOVED INTO
ONE LARGE FUNCTIONING TELESCOPE.
JOINING ME IS JULIE VAN CAMPEN,
THE COMMISSIONING ENGINEER.
WHAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE SCREEN,
YOU'LL SEE JULIE AND I ON THE
BOTTOM AND COVERAGE OF THE MOC.
AND THEN DATA COMING IN ON THE
OBSERVATORY VISUALIZATION TOOL
TO SHOW US WHAT IT'S OBSERVATORY
IS DOING AT THE MOMENT ONE OF
THE QUESTIONS WE'RE GETTING ARE
ABOUT CAREERS IN SCIENCE AND
WORKING FOR NASA.
TELL US ABOUT CAREERS IN SCIENCE
AND HOW YOU CAME TO BE IN THE
POSITION THAT YOU'RE IN NOW,
JULIE.
>> WELL, GOING
THROUGH--EVERYBODY YOU TALK TO
TODAY WE'VE ASKED THE SAME
QUESTION AND GONE THROUGH HOW
THEY'VE FOUND THEIR CAREERS IN
SCIENCE.
I THINK IT'S INTERESTING TO HEAR
HOW EVERYONE GOES BACK TO HOW
THEY GOT STARTED.
THEN THEY TALK ABOUT WHERE THEY
WENT THROUGH THEIR CAREER.
I THINK A COUPLE OF PEOPLE HAVE
SAID SOME REALLY IMPORTANT
THINGS.
YOU EVEN MENTIONED IT ONCE WHEN
YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE
PILOTS THAT FLEW THE PLANE TO
BRING THE TELESCOPE TO A
PARTICULAR PLACE OR PORTIONS OF
THE TELESCOPE TO A PARTICULAR
PLACE.
WHAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING
THAT I KNEW THAT I WANTED TO DO.
I DIDN'T NECESSARILY KNOW THAT I
WANTED TO BE AN ENGINEER, BUT I
DID KNOW THAT I WANTED TO DO
SOMETHING THAT I REALLY CARED
ABOUT.
I THINK, AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH
THE PROGRAM TODAY, YOU'VE SEEN
TECHNICIANS WORKING IN A CLEAN
ROOM, YOU'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF
ENGINEERS AND SCIENTISTS, AND
THE THING THAT EVERYONE HAS IN
COMMON, AND GREG HAD MENTIONED
HOW MANY PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS
HAVE TOUCHED HIM THROUGHOUT HIS
LIFE WHETHER YOU'RE A FINANCE OR
THE MEDIA DEPARTMENT, YOU HAVE
TO BE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT YOU DO.
ALMOST DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU
DO OR WHERE YOU WIND UP OR WHAT
PATH YOU TOOK TO GET THERE, AS
LONG AS YOU FIND IT SO
COMPELLING THAT YOU WANT TO GET
UP, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU WANTS TO
DO.
THAT'S--YOU KNOW WHEN PEOPLE
SAY, WHAT SHOULD I DO?
WHAT SHOULD I STUDY?
IT ALMOST REALLY DOESN'T MATTER
IN PARTICULAR WHAT YOU PICK AS
LONG AS YOU'RE REALLY INTERESTED
IN T AND AS LONG AS YOU FIND
YOUR PATH TO BE THE MOST
EXCITING THING OF YOUR LIFE.
YOU SPEND SO MUCH OF YOU'RE LIFE
DOING IT, YOU GOT TO ENJOY IF.
>> I COULDN'T AGREE MORE, JULIE.
THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT YOU
TOUCHED ON THAT I THINK IS WELL
IMPORTANT.
ONE, THE RANGE OF PEOPLE THAT
CAN WORK FOR AN ORGANIZATION
LIKE NASA OR THE INDUSTRIES.
I DON'T WORK WITH JUST OTHER
SCIENTISTS.
AS YOU MENTIONED.
WHEN YOU HAVE ALL THE DIFFERENT
NATIONS AND COMPANIES INVOLVED.
YOU HAVE LAWYERS, YOU HAVE
PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERT IN
FINANCES.
YOU HAVE ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
GENERATING THE INCREDIBLE
ANIMATIONS THAT WE'RE SEEING THE
GRAPHICS PEOPLE, THE VISUALIZERS
WHO GIVE YOU THIS BEAUTIFUL
IMAGES.
THOSE WHO WILL COME DOWN FROM
WEBB.
THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS
TO WORK FOR NASA.
FOR ME IT WAS A DREAM EARLY ON
TO WORK WITH NASA.
THAT'S BECAUSE I COULDN'T GET
THESE QUESTIONS OUT OF MY HEAD
ABOUT SPACE.
I REMEMBER WE OPENED THE PROGRAM
TODAY WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A
VOICE-OVER FROM CARL SAGAN, WHO
IS A FAMOUS SCIENTIST WHEN I WAS
GROWING UP.
HE HAD A PROGRAM CALLED "COSMOS"
BACK IN 1980.
BY THE TIME I WENT TO COLLEGE, I
DIDN'T FIND MATH CLASS EASY.
I DIDN'T GET THE BEST GRADES.
BUT I COULDN'T STOP THINKING
ABOUT THIS.
I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT PEOPLE
BECOMING SCIENTISTS OR
ENGINEERS, I'M CONCERNED THAT
THEY FOLLOW THEIR OWN CURIOSITY.
I'M SO PRIVILEGED TO WORK WITH
PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND THE PEOPLE
THAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY LIVE
HERE AT THE SPACE TELESCOPE
SCIENCE INSTITUTE, THE AMAZING
THING IS THE AMAZING THINGS WORK
WITH AND THE PASSION THAT WE
SHARE.
>> I AGREE.
THANK YOU.
>> BEING AN ASTRONOMER THIS IS A
PARTICULARLY EXCITING TIME FOR
ME.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DATA
THAT THE TELESCOPE IS COMING
BACK.
I BELIEVE THERE ARE A COUPLE OF
DIFFERENT ANIMATIONS THAT WE CAN
RUN WHILE WE TALK ABOUT THE
SCIENCE.
FIRST OF ALL, LET ME TALK ABOUT
WHY THE TELESCOPE IS AN INFRARED
TELESCOPE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS
DIFFERENT FROM OUR EYES.
OUR EYES ARE NOT SENSITIVE TO
THIS COLOR.
IF THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM
INCLUDE GAME IN A RAYS, X-RAY
AND ULTRA VIOLET.
THEN YOU HAVE ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE SPECTRUM INFRARED LIGHT,
HEAT LIGHT AND MICROWAVE.
THERE HAVE BEEN TELESCOPES
BEFORE THAT LOOKED INTO THESE
DIFFERENT TYPES OF LIGHT.
THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE SEES
A LITTLE BIT INTO THE
ULTRAVIOLET AND INFRARED.
AND THE SPITZER SPACE TELESCOPE
WAS LAUNCHED THAT I WAS PART OF
ALL THE WAY BACK IN 1998 I
STARTED WORKING ON THE SPITZER
TELESCOPE.
INFRARED LIGHT HAS SEVERAL
INCREDIBLE ADVANTAGES TO IT.
INVISIBLE LIGHT.
THE PILLARS OF CREATION.
THESE ARE GIANT CLOUDS OF DUST
AND GAS.
THEY'RE HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF
MILES ACROSS.
AND THIS IMAGE THAT YOU SEE IN
INFRARED, THAT IS A REAL IMAGE.
THIS IS TAKEN FROM THE HUBBLE
SPACE TELESCOPE, AND OUR EYES
CAN'T SEE IT.
ALL THOSE STARS THAT YOU'RE
SEEING THERE ARE REALLY THERE.
THE LIGHT WAS OBSCURED BY DUST.
SOME OF THE MORE INTERESTING
THINGS IN THE UNIVERSE HAPPENED
IN THESE BIG CLOUDS OF DUST AND
GAS.
THIS VISUALIZATION BASED ON REAL
HUBBLE OBSERVATION OF THE ORION
NEBULA.
NEW STARS AND PLANETARY SYSTEMS
ARE FORMING BY THE THOUSANDS.
WE SEE THESE YOUNG STAIRS AND
PLANETARY SYSTEMS.
NORMALLY THIS IS OBSCURE TO US.
BECAUSE OF THE DUST WE CAN'T SEE
IT.
SO INFRARED HAS A VERY SPECIFIC
PROPERTY OF BEING ABLE TO SEE
PLACES THAT WE CAN'T SEE WITH
VISIBLE LIGHT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COMES IN
HANDY VERY EARLY IN A UNIVERSE.
THE FURTHER AWAY YOU LOOK INTO
SPACE, THE LONGER THAT LIGHT HAS
TAKEN TO TRAVEL TO US.
LIGHT TRAVELS AT 186,000 MILES
PER SECOND, BUT IT IS A FINITE
SPEED.
A HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE SO FAR
AWAY THAT 500,000 YEARS AFTER
THE BIG BANG.
WEBB CAN SEE FURTHER.
IT CAN SEE WHEN THE VERY FIRST
GALAXIES WERE FORMING.
THIS IS BASED ON MISS--PHYSICS.
WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE ARE
YOUNG GALAXY.
A GALAXY AS A FAMILY OF HUNDREDS
OF BILLIONS OF STARS.
IN THE EARLY UNIVERSE THERE WERE
MANY SMALLER GALAXIES THAT BEGAN
TO COMBINE INTO THE LARGE
GALAXIES THAT WE SEE TODAY LIKE
OUR OWN MILKY WAY GALAXY.
IT HAS 500 BILLION STARS.
BUT WE'RE ALSO PART OF A CLUSTER
OF GALAXIES.
GALAXIES SEEM TO CLUSTER
TOGETHER BASED ON DARK MATTER.
WEBB WILL BE PROBING THIS DARK
MATTER AND THE STARS, THE
PLANETS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT
WE SEE TODAY.
WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT NOW ARE
GALAXIES FROM THE HUBBLE
TELESCOPE.
ANOTHER THING THAT WE'RE PROUD
ABOUT THE WEBB TELESCOPE, WE
THINK HE'LL HAVE THE ABILITY TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT EXOPLANETS ARE
LIKE.
THOSE ARE PLANETS GOING AROUND
OTHER STARS.
SO FOR A WE CAN MEASURE THE MASS
OF THESE PLANETS AND THEIR
DENSITY, BUT WE REALLY HAVE NO
UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR
ENVIRONMENT.
DO THEY HAVE ATMOSPHERES LIKE
THE EARTH?
ARE THIS THREE-DOOR THINGS LIKE
WATER VAPORS PRESENT, CARBON
MONOXIDE.
CARBON DIOXIDE?
WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THE STARLIGHT
SHINES THROUGH THE ATMOSPHERE
AND IT CONTINUES TOWARDS US.
AND THE WEBB TELESCOPE CAN PICK
UP THAT RADIATION AND ANALYST
WHAT IS INSIDE THAT ATMOSPHERE.
THE REASON WHY WE'RE ABLE TO DO
THAT IS BECAUSE EVERY CHEMICAL
LIKE OXYGEN, WATER PAPER,
METHANE, ALL OF THESE HAVE VERY
SPECIFIC WAVE LENGTHS WHEN
OBSERVED, AND WE CAN DETERMINE
WHAT THAT ATMOSPHERE IS MADE OF.
THAT'S A WONDERFUL RECAP OF THE
SCIENCE GOALS OF THE WEBB
TELESCOPE.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A SMALL
BREAK AS WE GET READY, WE'RE
GOING TO BE TAKING A SHORT BREAK
AS WE GET READY FOR SOME OF THE
FINALE OF THE LATCHING
PROCEDURES COMING UP.
YOU'RE WATCHING LIVE COVERAGE OF
THE COMMISSIONING OF THE JAMES
WEBB TELESCOPE.
>> WE'LL CHECK OUT OUR DETECTORS
AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE OPERATING
UNDER THEIR PROPER TEMPERATURES
AND WE'LL MOVE IT HALFWAY.
>> THE FINAL THING WE'LL DO IS
START TAKING IMAGES AND
CALIBRATE THOSE INSTRUMENTS.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING
IS SET TO GO AND READY TO START
EARLY OPERATIONS THAT YOU HEARD
SEVERAL OF YOUR SCIENTISTS TALK
ABOUT TODAY.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THERE'S A QUESTION THAT WE GET A
LOT OF ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT
MIGHT BE FUN TO TAKE THE TIME --
AND IS WE'LL SEE THE COMMENTARY
WHEN WE SEE THE COMMAND COME
THROUGH FOR THE FINAL LATCH --
HOW DO THEY GET TRANSLATED INTO
PICTURES?
ARE THE PICTURES THE SAME AS IF
WE LOOKED UP AT CLOSE --
>> WE HAVE A NOMINAL LOS AND OUR
BACK-UP ANTENNA WILL CONTINUE TO
HAVE TELEMETRY ON THE PRIME
ANTENNA FOR ANOTHER 10 MINUTES.
COVERAGE WHIM END IN 4 MINUTES.
>> THERE ARE DIFFERENT ANTENNAS
THAT THEY'RE USING TO DOWNLOAD
THE TELEMETRY.
>> AT THIS TIME -- I SEE THAT ON
THE GROUND.
THAT LOOKS GOOD AND -- ALL OF US
ARE LISTENING FOR THAT COMMAND.
CONFIRMATION THAT THE MIRROR HAS
BEEN LATCHED.
>> WE ONLY HAD 5,000 STEMS
REMAINING IN THE FINAL LATCH
MOVE.
WE'RE DOWN TO 4,000.
>> COPY.
>> 3,000.
2000.
1,000.
WE HAVE A FULLY DEPLOYED JWS KEY
OBSERVATORY.
>> ALL RIGHT.
[APPLAUSE]
>> PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD AS
YOU CAN SEE HERE PEOPLE AT THE
INSTITUTE IN BALTIMORE,
MARYLAND, THEY'RE CELEBRATING.
HELPING US TO GET A LITTLE MORE
AUDIO.
YOU CAN SEE THE JOY ON THEIR
FACES.
EVERYBODY OF COURSE BEING VERY
CAREFUL WITH THE COVID SURGE.
I'M JOINING YOU FROM AN ISOLATED
ROOM SO I CAN TALK TO YOU
WITHOUT A MASK ON.
EVERYBODY ELSE IS WEARING THEIR
MASKS.
WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY.
I'M A FLOOR BELOW THE CONTROL
ROOM AND I CAN HEAR PEOPLE
CHEERING IN THE BACKGROUND.
[APPLAUSE]
I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE.
THE LAST TWO WEEKS HAVE BEEN
TOTALLY AMAZING.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE WORKED
ON AT THIS POINT BUT I HAVE A
COUPLE SPECIAL SHOUTOUTS.
THE DEPLOYMENT TEAM.
THE LAST 15, 20 YEARS TO GET TO
THIS POINT PHENOMENAL JOB.
I DO WANT TO ALSO THANK THE
GODDARD FOLKS.
IF THEY HADN'T DONE IT PERFECTLY
A YEAR AGO THE LAST TWO WEEKS
WOULD NOT HAVE GONE AS WELL AS
THEY HAVE.
FINALLY ON A PERSONAL NOTE I'LL
TELL YOU GUYS EVERY DAY I'M
HONORED AND HUMBLED TO BE
ASSOCIATED WITH YOU AND I WANT
TO THANK YOU ALL.
GO GSFC.
[APPLAUSE]
STATION 34 WILL BRING DOWN THE
UPLINK AND WE'LL SEE A BRIEF
LOSS OF TELEMETRY AT THAT TIME
WHILE THEY REACQUIRE THE DOWN
LINK.
>> COPY THAT.
THE
>> SHOULD I WANT TO TELL YOU
JUST HOW EXCITED AND EMOTIONAL
I'M -- I AM RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE A DEPLOYED TELESCOPE ON
ORBIT.
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO MAKE
HISTORY, IS EVERYBODY?
YOU JUST DID IT!
[APPLAUSE]
MOST OF YOU WOULD HAVE ENDED
WITH YOUR FAMILIES AND WITH TIME
THAT FRANKLY EVEN THE LAST YEAR
WHERE MOST OF YOU WORKED MORE
THAN YOU EVER WORKED IN YOUR
LIFE.
I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH
I PERSONALLY AND IS WE OF THE
ENTIRE TEAM APPRECIATE YOUR
SACRIFICE THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN
AND ALSO YOUR FAMILY, THAT IS
YOUR FAMILIES THAT HAVE
SACRIFICED THEY HAVE GIVEN DUE
TO THE AMAZING HISTORY-MAKING
TELESCOPE.
JUST KNOW HOW DEEPLY WE
APPRECIATE AND HOW DEEPLY WE
VALUE EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE.
BILL, IT'S BEEN FUN TO WATCH YOU
WORKING TOGETHER WITH GREG AND
ALL THE OTHER LEADERS THAT
REALLY ARE BUILDING AN AMAZING
TEAM.
I THINK OF IT AS A CHAMPIONSHIP
TEAM.
YOU NEVER KNOW HOW GREAT THEY
ARE UNTIL YOU SEE THEM OUT NOT
THE FIELD.
I LOVE WHAT I SEE.
I LOVE -- WE ALL LOVE WHAT WE
SEE AND IS TRULY AN EXCELLENT
TEAM AND YOU HAVE SHOWN THE
WHOLE WORLD.
YOU CANNOT BELIEVE HOW MANY
LETTERS AND E-MAILS I'VE GOTTEN
AROUND THE WORLD CONGRATULATING
OUR ENTIRE AGENCY, OUR ENTIRE
COUNTRY, OUR ENTIRE TEAM,
INTERNATIONAL TEAM FOR THIS
WORK.
OF COURSE LEADING WITH SO MANY
OF THE TEAM MEMBERS HERE.
THANKS TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF
YOU.
NORTHROP GRUMMAN HAVE GOTTEN TO
KNOW WITH YOU AND BE WITH ON
THIS FOR 5 YEARS ON THIS
JOURNEY.
MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN HERE FOR
20 OR MORE YEARS AND SOME OF YOU
ARE NOT EVEN RIGHT NOW HERE
ANYMORE OR YOU'RE ON ANOTHER
PROJECT OR SOME HAVE RETIRED OR
NO LONGER WITH US.
WE THINK OF THEM AND EACH ONE OF
THEM.
WHAT A GREAT PLACE TO BE HERE
LOOKING OUT AT THE TREES.
BUT WE THINK OF THE DEEP SPACE
AND YOU KNOW BEING HERE SO WHAT
I'D LIKE TO DO IS INTRODUCE
SOMEBODY ELSE.
I'LL TELL YOU THE PERSON -- SO I
WANT TO SEE WHAT HE WANTS TO
ADD, A COUPLE SENTENCES.
JUST TALKING ABOUT HOW MUCH OF
AN HONOR IT IS TO BE PART OF
THIS INCREDIBLE MISSION.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU HEAR A
LOT FROM PEOPLE AT NASA BUT HOW
PRIVILEGED WE ARE TO WORK IN
THIS GROUP.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU HEAR A
LOT OF PEOPLE SAY BUT I HAVE TO
REITERATE THE HOW MUCH WE FEEL
THIS.
IT IS A TREMENDOUS HONOR AND
PRIVILEGE TO WORK ON SOMETHING
LARGE AND TO HAVE A GOAL THAT I
BELIEVE IS NOBLE.
WE ARE TRYING TO ADVANCE
KNOWLEDGE.
THERE ARE RISKS.
WE NEVER DEPLOYED AN OBSERVATORY
LIKE THIS BEFORE.
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE
ACTUALLY WAITING AROUND THE
WORLD FOR THIS TO WORK.
WE WORKED ON THIS AND WHO HAVE
GIVEN YEARS OF HER LIFE AND
THEIR FAMILY AS WELL.
YOU HEAR SOME APPLAUSE IN THE
BACKGROUND.
[APPLAUSE]
>> OKAY. SO THE FINAL GUEST WE
HAVING HEAD OF NASA.
ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA.
BILL COMES FROM A HUGE AMOUNT OF
EXPERIENCE.
FORMER SENATOR AND I MIGHT ALSO
MENTION A FORMER ASTRONAUT.
BILL, IT IS AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU
HERE. PLEASE GIVE US YOUR
THOUGHTS ON THIS HISTORIC
MOMENT.
UNFORTUNATELY I THINK YOU MAY
HAVE TO UNMUTE, BILL.
IT'S ALWAYS THE CASE, ISN'T IT?
I AM UNMUTED.
>> THERE YOU GO
>> OKAY. I WANT TO SAY AGAIN
WHAT THOMAS JUST SAID AND WHAT
BILL OAKS JUST SAID.
IT'S AN INCREDIBLE TEAM.
NASA IS A PLACE WHERE THE
IMPOSSIBLE BECOMES POSSIBLE.
AND THAT'S WHY SO MANY PEOPLE
HAVE STAYED WITH NASA OVER THE
YEARS.
THAT'S WHY 9 YEARS IN A ROW NASA
HAS BEEN VOTED AS THE BEST PLACE
TO WORK IN THE ENTIRE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.
THE 9 YEARS IN A ROW.
WE BRING IN AND WE VALUE OUR
INTERNS FROM COLLEGE AND WE
BRING THEM IN AND 30% OF THEM
END UP HAVING A CAREER AT NASA.
AND THEN WE HAVE THESE
INCREDIBLE PARTNERS OUTSIDE OF
NASA.
THOMAS HAS MENTIONED THEM.
JUST TAKE THE AEROSPACE COMPANY,
NORTHROP GRUMMAN.
TAKE THE PEOPLE AT GODDARD.
TAKE PEOPLE AT SPACE TELESCOPE
INSTITUTE.
THIS IS JUST INCREDIBLE INPUT.
THINK ABOUT THE DELIVERY AND
PACKAGING OF TELESCOPE WHEN IT
WAS PUT ON THE SHIP AND IT HAD
TO HAVE SPECIAL SECURITY GOING
THROUGH THE PANAMA CANAL.
AND THEN OF COURSE SPACE.
I MEAN, RIGHT ON THE MONEY.
AND IS OUR INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERS, WHICH ARE SO IMPORTANT
TO US IN THIS PARTICULAR
MISSION, THE CANADIAN SPACE
AGENCY, THE EUROPEAN SPACE
AGENCY.
BUT IN NASA AT LARGE, YOU KNOW,
WE'VE GOT OVER 30-50 PARTNERS,
FOR EXAMPLE, INTERNATIONALLY
INVOLVED IN THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.
LOOK AT THE POLITICS ON EARTH
THAT ARE SO ROUGH BETWEEN RUSSIA
AND THE UNITED STATES RIGHT TO
TODAY OVER TERRESTRIAL MATTERS
AND YET WHAT'S HAPPENING UP IN
SPACE?
WE'RE COOPERATING AND WE'VE BEEN
COOPERATING IN THE CIVILIAN
SPACE PROGRAM EVER SINCE 1975,
WHEN AN AMERICAN SPACECRAFT AND
A SOVIET SPACECRAFT RENDEZVOUSED
AND DOCKED AND IS THE CREWS
LIVED TOGETHER FOR 9 DAYS AND
THAT HAS CONTINUED ALL THE WAY
UP TO TODAY WHERE THEY, THE
RUSSIANS, HAVE HELPED US BUILD
AND OPERATE THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.
I GIVE YOU THE EXAMPLES BECAUSE
WHEN PEOPLE PUT THEIR MIND TO IT
AND START COOPERATING AND
WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM, AS
WE SAY AT NASA, THE IMPOSSIBLE
BECOMES POSSIBLE.
AND HERE IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF
THAT.
SO, HOW CAN I THANK YOU ENOUGH?
HOW CAN I THE SUPPORT THAT WE
HAVE GOTTEN FROM THE WHITE
HOUSE, PRESIDENT BIDEN
SPECIFICALLY IS WATCHING THIS
MISSION, THE VICE PRESIDENT,
KAMALA HARRIS, SAME THING.
THE MY OLD COLLEAGUES THAT I
LOVE TO CONTINUE TO HARASS AND
YET THEY HAVE SUPPORTED THIS.
I WANT TO SINGING OUT ONE PERSON
BECAUSE JAMES WEBB IS LONG
OVERDUE AND WAY OVER BUDGET ON
THE ORIGINAL BUDGET.
JAMES WEBB WAS KEPT ALIVE IN
LARGE PART BY SENATOR BARBARA
MIKCULSKI NOW RETIRED.
I CALLED HER PERSONALLY TO THANK
HER AND THIS IS A PROUD DAY FOR
HER, TOO.
BECAUSE WHEN IT WAS NEEDED FOR
ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS, SHE
WAS THERE.
WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.
WE GOT TO GET OUT THERE ON DAY
29 AND THOSE WE GOT TO GET INTO
THAT ORBIT AROUND L2 AND THEN IT
IT'S GOING TO START TAKING 6
MONTHS TO START RECEIVING THE
PICTURES.
BUT WHEN WE DO, AS YOU HAVE HAD
MICHELLE EXPLAIN TO YOU, OH, THE
HORIZON IS NOT THE LIMIT.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ALL KINDS OF
NEW KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHO WE ARE,
WHAT WE ARE, WHERE WE CAME FROM,
ARE THERE OTHERS OUT THERE.
SO JUST LIKE THOMAS, I'M
EMOTIONAL TOO.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
HONOR TO HAVE YOU HERE WITH US
AND IT'S A VERY EMOTIONAL DAY
FOR ALL OF US.
ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.
SO, ON BEHALF OF EVERYBODY HERE
AT THE SPACE TELESCOPE SCIENCE
INSTITUTE THIS WILL BEGIN THE
CONCLUSION WAS OUR BROADCAST.
FIRST THE RUN-UP TO THE LAUNCH
AND THEN THE LAUNCH AND
SUCCESSFUL DEPLOYMENT OF THE
OBSERVATORY AND WE LOOK FORWARD
NOW TO A FEW MORE MONTHS AND
THEN THEY'LL RELEASE THE FIRST
IMAGES AND IS THEY PROVE TO BE
AMAZING.
WE'RE ALL A BIT -- WE'RE ALL
JUST SO HAPPY TO BE HERE.
AGAIN, WE WERE SAYING BEFORE
THAT IT'S EASY YOU KEEP HEARING
IT AGAIN.
IT'S THIS TEAM OF PEOPLE.
AS MUCH AS I LOVE SCIENCE, I'VE
BEEN FASCINATED ALL MY LIFE, THE
BEST PART OF NASA ARE THE PEOPLE
AROUND US.
NONE OF THIS IS POSSIBLE WITHOUT
EVERYBODY LIFTING HERE TODAY.
PEOPLE THAT ARE MEMBERS OF
COUNTRIES ALL OVER THE WORLD AND
PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT SCIENCE
THROUGH THEIR TAX MONEY.
PEOPLE AT UNIVERSITIES,
SERIOUSLY EVERYWHERE AND EVERY
COUNTRY THAT THERE IS.
WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AND
THIS IS SOMETHING AMAZING THAT
WE HAVE JUST BEGUN, THIS NEW
JOURNEY TO HAVE AN ENTIRE LIVE
NEW UNIVERSE AND HONOR TO BE
WITH YOU THROUGH THIS MORNING
AND I HOPE TO BE AS THIS
CONTINUES.
THIS IS MICHELLE WISHING YOU A
VERY GOOD DAY FROM THE SPACE
TELESCOPE SCIENCE INSTITUTE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING
US.