* Astronomy

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RE: James Webb Space Telescope

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Mirror Odyssey

The Webb Space Telescope's giant primary mirror, arguably its most critical and difficult part, is approaching completion. The 18-segment mirror stands two stories high and is designed to best capture the infrared light Webb seeks. Follow the mirror's journey from rough ore to precisely reflective, gold-coated segments in this video, which details how the mirrors are constructed and tested.

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Save the James Webb Space Telescope

The central source for information regarding the fight to Save JWST
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Ed ~ From Neoteotihuacan

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Nasa says it will now cost $8.7bn to launch the James Webb Space Telescope in 2018 and operate it for five years.
The assessment - some $2bn higher than previous estimates - has emerged from documents sent to the US Congress.
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Hubble Telescope's successor unveiled

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Webb Telescope Instrument Completes Cryogenic Testing

A pioneering camera and spectrometer that will fly aboard NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has completed cryogenic testing designed to mimic the harsh conditions it will experience in space.
The Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) underwent testing inside the thermal space test chamber at the Science and Technology Facilities Council's Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Space in Oxfordshire, U.K. The sophisticated instrument is designed to examine the first light in the universe and the formation of planets around other stars.
A team of more than 50 scientists from 11 countries tested MIRI for 86 days, representing the longest and most exhaustive testing at cryogenic temperatures of an astronomy instrument in Europe prior to delivery for its integration into a spacecraft.
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Deep-space camera passes cosmic eye test

Engineers in the UK have completed rigorous tests on the European camera being built for the James Webb Space Telescope.
MIRI, the Mid-Infrared Instrument, will be a key sensor on the space telescope intended as the successor to the Hubble space observatory.
After launch, the camera and spectrometer will turn its unblinking gaze on deepest space.
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First JWST instrument finishes testing

A pioneering instrument for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has completed testing in the UK. MIRI is a key European contribution to the mission, which will be a space telescope with a mirror seven times bigger in area than that of the Hubble Space Telescope.
The Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) will be used by astronomers to study faint comets circling the Sun, newly born faraway planets, regions of obscured star formation, and galaxies near the edge of the Universe. It must work at extremely low temperatures, of just 7 K above absolute zero or -266° C.
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Being "Secondary" is Important for a Webb Telescope Mirror

"Secondary" may not sound as important as "primary" but when it comes to the next-generation James Webb Space Telescope a secondary mirror plays a critical role in ensuring the telescope gathers information from the cosmos. The Webb's secondary mirror was recently completed, following polishing and gold-coating.
There are four different types of mirrors that will fly on the James Webb Space Telescope, and all are made of a light metal called beryllium. It is very strong for its weight and holds its shape across a range of temperatures.
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AURA Reaction to Proposed Cancellation of JWST

Today, AURA strongly objected to the proposal by the House Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee to terminate the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). JWST remains the world's foremost effort to push the boundaries of astronomy and astrophysics.
Over the past year, NASA managers and the science community have undertaken a concerted effort to establish a budget and technology plan that allows the launch of JWST by 2018. The proposal by the Congress to terminate the program comes at a time when these efforts are coming to fruition. In addition, in June, NASA contractors completed the polishing and fabrication of all of the JWST mirrors completing one of the most challenging technical hurdles.
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