The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will replace the Hubble Telescope and observe stars and galaxies as they formed after the Dark Ages. It uses lightweight cryogenic mirrors made of beryllium and coated with gold to capture infrared light from up to 13.4 billion years ago. The JWST's mirrors are segmented and foldable to fit inside the launch vehicle. It also uses a microshutter analysis system to selectively allow photons to enter and be analyzed by a spectrograph to study the origins of the universe.

1. University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering
2015-04-03
1
SessionB3
5079
THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE AND ITS SEARCH THROUGH TIME
Kendra Farrell (klf78@pitt.edu, Vidic 2:00pm), Sai Kappagantula (sak181@pitt.edu, Vidic 2:00pm)
Abstract—The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), has
been developed in order to replace the current Hubble
Telescope in orbit. The JWST is currently set to launch in
2018. JWST’s main purpose is to view the stars and galaxies
as they formed, right after the Dark Age While explaining how
the JWST will accomplish this, this paper will go further into
the technology behind these innovations.
The lightweight cryogenic mirrors of the JWST allow it
to capture infrared light rays to see up to 13.4 billion years
into the past. The JWST will also contain microshutter
analysis (MSA)—a new development through National
Aeronauticsand Space Administration (NASA)—toonly allow
certain photons of light to enter the telescope, be analyzed,
and attempt to conclude the origins of the universe through
this photon analysis. This paper discusses the method by
which the JWST will unfold in deep space, as well as other
applications of its cryogenic mirrors. This paper finally
considersthe ethicsinvolved with the production ofthe JWST.
Key Words–James Webb Space Telescope, Lightweight
Cryogenic Mirrors, Microshutter Analysis, National
Aeronauticsand Space Administration,Programmable
Aperture Masks, Space
THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE:
AN ENGINEERING FEAT
Space research in the past has provided the world with
many important technologies such as scratch-resistant lenses,
water resistant lenses [1]. Now, space research is vital to
understanding the origins of the universe. Now the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has the
chance to understand the origins of the universe. The James
Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will further this pursuit,
allowing scientists to see approximately 13.4 billion light
years into the past. This is approximately 7.88x1022 miles
away from where Earth is now. Seeing this far away will allow
humanity to learn what happened at the birth of the universe:
how it formed, what affected the formation of the universe,
and what planets may be capable of supporting life.
Webb vs. Hubble
The JWST will be the replacement for the Hubble
Telescope, which has been in orbit for about 20 years to date.
The JWST is far more technologically advanced at this time
than the Hubble is. The JWST will orbit approximately 2635
times farther from Earth than the Hubble Telescope at 930,000
miles from Earth’s surface [2]. Orbiting so far from Earth will
allow JWST to see farther than the Hubble into deep space,
and therefore father into the past [2]. The difference in orbit is
depicted in the image below.
FIGURE 1 [2]
Comparison of the orbits of the Hubble and JWST
The JWST, along with having a much farther orbit than the
Hubble, will have a much different visibility spectrum than
the Hubble. The Hubble currently takes photographs in the
visible light spectrum from 400 to 700 nanometers, while the
JWST will be capable of taking photographs in the infrared
spectrum from 700 nanometers to one millimeter [3]. The
difference is key to visibility of the JWST. This change in the
visibility spectrumwill also assist in the function of the JWST
to see through clouds of interstellar dust to view what is
happening inside [4]. Figure 2 compares the wave spectrum
to important tools and devices.
FIGURE 2 [3]
This figure shows how the Hubble can only use the
visible light spectrum and the JWST uses infrared light

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This change will allow scientists to view the inside workings
of nebulae, in order to fully understand the birth and life cycle
of stars, planets,and the universe.
LIGHTWEIGHT CRYOGENIC MIRRORS
As a telescope’s ability to see detail is directly related to
the size of the mirror collecting light, therefore, the JWST
needs a mirror large enough to see galaxies 13.4 billion light
years away [2]. Designed to be 6.5 meters across,this mirror
technology gave NASA scientists quite a struggle. They
needed to create a new way to build the mirrors instead of
simply replicating the mirror of the Hubble because the
Hubble’s mirror would be far too heavy to be launched into
space if it were scaled to the size of JWST’s mirror [2]. NASA
engineers found that the best way to make these mirrors large
enough and still light enough in weight would be to fashion
them out of beryllium, a very lightweight substance [2].
Finally, in order to improve the reflection of infrared light, the
beryllium mirrors would be coated with a thin layer of gold
[3].
Figure 3 [2]
Six of the 18 mirror segments in a vacuum to test how
they will hold their shape in the vacuum of space
Figure 3 displays the completed primary mirror segments.
They are being tested to ensure they will hold their shape in
the vacuumof space.
Primary Mirrors
The primary lightweight cryogenic mirrors of the JWST are
designed in segments to be folded into smaller sections
capable of fitting inside of the launch vehicle. The mirrors are
hexagonally shaped in order to fold and fit inside the launch
vehicle properly. This shape allows them to take up minimal
amounts of space while still being large enough to function
properly. The mirrors are split into 18 segments to allow for
the most efficient compaction when the JWST is folded into
the launch vehicle. This hexagonal shape is shown in Figure
3. These mirrors also must be kept at an incredibly low
temperature of -364 ° F in order to not produce infrared light
which would interfere with the infrared light sensors of the
JWST itself [4].
Secondary Mirror
As stated before, the JWST has 18 mirror segments
combined to form the primary mirror. Along with these 18,
there is a nineteenth mirror segment, the secondary mirror,
which will redirect the light captured by the primary mirror,
sending it to the microshutter analysis to be further analyzed.
Since this mirror must be located in front of the primary
mirrors, scientists had to discovera way for it to be supported.
The secondary mirror support system(SMSS) was designed
in order to accomplish this task [8]. As a type of tripod
attached to the primary mirrors, the SMSS allows the
secondary mirror to hover in front of the primary mirrors,
reflecting the light for analysis [8].
Benefits of Beryllium
Beryllium is the main element used in the mirrors of the
JWST. It has the ability to hold its shape at a wide variety of
temperatures. If a material that could not stand high
temperatures were to be used, then the material would fail to
withstand the heat of the sun and the vacuum of space.
Beryllium also has a high stiffness and is very light in weight.
The mirror billets are generated from beryllium powder, a
very toxic substance,which may cause harm to scientists and
workers constructing the JWST. The reason that the scientists
have had no trouble with the beryllium powder is that it is not
simply NASA engineers making these mirrors. They are
constructed throughout the United States in specialized
locations in order to ensure the safety of the scientists [2].
As beryllium is a very brittle metal, there is some fear
about damages. As the JWST will be launched folded up in
the launch vehicle, concern with respect to damages to the
mirrors during launch due to the lack of protection and
insulation in the launch vehicle. The main concern is that the
mirrors will change shape slightly due to pressure changes
during launch. NASA scientists have, however, tested this
through the use of a vacuum chamber and launch simulation
[2]. These tests have proven that the mirrors are able to
withstand the immense change in pressure during launch with
no damage or change in shape.
There is also some concern facing potential damages to the
mirrors in space. Micrometeoroids are small, but potentially
harmful pieces broken off of meteoroids in space.
Micrometeoroids are responsible for approximately 12-15%
of damage to launch vehicles. These small pieces may cause
damages similar to those caused during launch. This,
however, has also been tested. The micrometeoroids cause

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negligible damages to the JWST and its mirrors. The mirrors
also have a glass coating that prevent damages from the
micrometeoroids. Without the glass,the mirrors would scratch
easily. These very thin panes of glass provide a very sturdy
shield for the mirrors from any foreign object that may pose a
threat to them. The mirrors must also consist of another key
element in order to function: gold.
The Gold Coating
There are four possible metals that NASA could have used
to coat the mirrors: aluminum, copper,gold, and silver. Out of
these, NASA has chosen to use gold. Gold is an integral
feature to the function of the JWST. Material wise, gold is
much more effective than the other metals. Corrosion is a key
problem for metals. Aluminum, copper and silver corrode
easier than gold and when the coating enters space, corrosion
could occur and expose the mirrors, thus making the JWST
useless. Scientists have run tests with each of the metals and
have found that gold is much easier to manipulate than the
other materials. The gold in the mirrors of the JWST is
imperative to the success of the telescope. Heat transfer in
space is slightly different compared to heat transfer on earth;
the sun transfers heat through radiation to both the equipment
and astronauts. The graph shown in Figure 4 shows the
amount of radiation that the sun emits and in what type of
wave it is [3].
Figure 4 [7]
Graph of the sun’s rays that shows how the sun can emit
a wide variety of light waves
According to the Figure 4, the substance that NASA had
to choose must be able to handle UV, visible and infrared
radiation. The use ofgold is necessary forthe JWST to be able
to view the infrared spectrum of light [3]. All metals reflect
light, but it is dependent on the electrons in the metal what
type of light they reflect. As light is in the form of an
electromagnetic wave, when it contacts the surface ofa metal,
the electrons stay towards the surface of the metal. This
movement of electrons causes some of the electromagnetic
light wave to be reflected in the opposite direction from where
they came. The arrangement of these electrons and the atomic
structure of each specific element causes differences in the
light reflected from it [2]. Gold happens to have the
appropriate atomic structure to be capable of reflecting light
from the red end of the spectrumvery easily, which is why it
appears yellow to the eye [2].
Another key attribute is the coefficient of thermal
expansion. The materials that are used for the mirrors have to
have similar coefficients of thermal expansion. If the two
materials undergo a large change in temperature then they will
change size. The size change cannot vary greatly otherwise
the mirrors will fail. The coefficient of thermal expansion for
beryllium is 11.5*10-6 m/(m*K) while gold’s is 14.2*10-6 .
This yields a difference of 2.7*10-6, a very insignificant
amount [4]. In order to protect the mirrors from the harmful
rays of the sun, NASA plans on designing sunshields that
protect the cryogenic mirrors.
Seeing Red
Light travels very differently than almost anything else;
because it takes light time to travel, the farther into space one
looks, the farther back in time they are seeing [2]. Since the
universe is constantly expanding,these galaxies are constantly
moving away from us. This means that the galaxies have a
redshift in the spectrum, ergo, being in the infrared light
spectrum[2]. Since stars,planets,and galaxies all form inside
of nebulae, it is nearly impossible to view what is going on
inside of these clouds of dust in the visible spectrum. Viewing
these nebulae through the infrared spectrum allows scientists
to see through these clouds of dust to what is actually going
on inside of them. Studying this allows scientists to view the
actual birth and origin of stars,planets,and galaxies. Through
the JWST’s use ofinfrared light, scientists will no longer have
to say that stars simply are born from nebulae; they will be
able to say how the nebulae allow the particles to condense
and form stars [2]. Figure 5 shows what a picture of a nebula
may look like through the use of the infrared-seeing JWST.
Figure 5 [2]
The left side depicts the image of a nebula in the visible
spectrum whereas the right side depicts the same image
in the infrared spectrum

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The image on the right is significantly clearer and one can
see far more stars and galaxies than the image on the left
taken by the Hubble Telescope.
Sunshields
A sunshield consists of five layers as depicted in figure 4.
The sunshield’s main purpose is to allow the telescope to cool
down to a temperature below 50 Kelvin by passively radiating
its heat into space.This is vital to the JWST’s success because
its near-infrared instruments work at about 39 K through a
passive cooling system. The sunshields act as parasols that
keep the mirrors and the microshutters cool and the spacecraft
bus electronics heated [2]. Not only do the sunshields protect
the mirrors from heating up, but they also provide thermal
stability for the telescope entirely. Figure 6 depicts the five
layers of the sunshield. The sunshields prevent heat from
passing through because ofthe five layered system, displayed
in Figure 6. Each layer takes more heat away from the sunlight
preventing the cryogenic mirrors from overheating and
malfunctioning. The mirrors capture light, the sunshields
protect them from heat, and the microshutters analyze the
infrared light.
Figure 6 [4]
These are the five layers of the sunshield, each layer will
absorb a little more heat from the sun
MICROSHUTTER ANALYSIS
A brand new technology developed for the JWST,
microshutter analysis (MSA) is composed of completely
programmable devices for simultaneously viewing objects
[2]. The microshutters are made of six key materials that allow
for the entrance of light: silicon nitride, silicon dioxide,
silicon, aluminum, cobalt iron and aluminum oxide. They are
similar to windows with shutters and allow viewing of any
objects in the sky [2]. With respect to the microshutters, some
of the shutters stay open to take in light while others stay
closed.This prevents the JWST from analyzing large amounts
of light [4].
Figure 7 [5]
This figure depicts the two states of the microshutter and
of what materials it is made.
The process of analyzing the light starts with the
microshutters, then the Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIR
Spec) and finally the Programmable Aperture Masks (PAM).
Near Infrared Spectrograph
A spectrograph allows light to be dispersed from one
specific object into a spectrum of objects [2]. Through
analysis of a spectrum, scientists can determine many
important physical properties, such as mass, chemical
composition, and temperature [2]. Through the use of
spectroscopy, atoms and molecules display vast amounts of
information about the physical and chemical conditions of the
object being analyzed [2]. The Near Infrared Spectrograph
(NIRSpec) is one unique way to analyze light. As part of the
MSA, the NIRSpec takes the light absorbed by the MSA and
allows it to be analyzed, revealing information about the
specific object including chemical composition, mass, and
temperature. This information will be used by scientists in
order to discover other planets that may be capable of
supporting life [6]. The NIRSpec is functional due to
programmable aperture masks, which allow the telescope to
view more than one interstellar object at once.
Programmable Aperture Masks
The JWST functions primarily through the mirrors
observing and capturing light from galaxies up to 13.4 billion
light years away, then sending this light to the MSA to be
separated into light from specific objects. After the light is
separated,it is then sent to the NIRSpec to be further analyzed.
This analysis is then sent to the programmable aperture masks
(PAMs). The NIRSpec will be programmed through the use
of PAMs in order to allow the MSA to continually collect light
from specific objects while the NIRSpec is still analyzing light
from others [2]. This allows the NIRSpec to view and analyze

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up to 100 objects at once [2]. This is beneficial to the
functionality of the JWST as the telescope will need to collect
light from these galaxies for hundreds of hours in order to
have enough light for them to be fully analyzed [2].
Figure 8 [3]
These are the microshutters that will be implemented on
the JWST
HOW WILL IT BE LAUNCHED?
The JWST will not be launched completely spread out; it is
far too big to launch in its entirety. The telescope will be
folded up and launched in an Ariane 5 rocket [2]. NASA is
using the Ariane 5 rocket as it has had 11 successfulyears and
over 57 consecutive successfullaunches [2]. Once the launch
vehicle reaches the destination,the telescope is removed from
the rocket itself and the telescope expands to its full form. The
folded version of the telescope is seen in Figure 9. The
unfolding process will take approximately one week from
reaching its final destination. Because the JWST will take
about a week to fully unfold in deep space, NASA scientists
are very nervous about whethereverything will go off without
a hitch or not. “Whereas the Mars Rover Curiosity had seven
minutes of terror, the Webb will have seven days of terror,”
said Heidi Hammel, NASA scientist for the JWST.
Figure 9 [3]
What the JWST will look like while in the launch vehicle
The 72-foot sunshields will pose the biggest challenge to the
unfolding of the JWST. The five sunshield layers will be
folded around the three mirror segments. Once the telescope
reaches its final orbiting distance from Earth, NASA will send
a command through computer programming and the JWST
will start to unfold [8]. The primary mirrors of the JWST will
also unfold in three different segments, coming togetherto be
connected by wing latches [8]. These latches will secure the
backplane and the mirrors togetherin deep space.
Figure 10 [8]
The unfolding of the SMSS
Likely the most difficult portion of the unfolding of the JWST
will be the secondary mirror and the SMSS. The tripod type
structure of the SMSS will unfold in three main phases,
depicted in Figure 10.
AFTER LAUNCH
The JWST will go through many stages in its journey to
930,000 miles from Earth’s surface. In the first few hours,the
JWST will separate from the Ariane 5 rocket and begin to
unfold as it journeys through space. The first step in this
process is for the first layer of the sunshields to open in order
to protect the JWST’s more fragile and sensitive materials [2].
After this,during the JWST’s first day in space,the JWST will
deploy a high gain antenna in order for the NASA crews on
Earth to view and regulate the progress the JWST will be
making in its journey [2].
Within the first week of space travel, the JWST will allow
the remaining four layers of sunshields to unfold. Then, the
JWST’s secondary mirror will open and unfold,along with the
secondary mirror support system[2]. Finally, during the first
week, the JWST’s primary mirror will open fully. The two
side wings of the primary mirror will unfold and be hinged
togetherby the wing latches [8].
Throughout the first month of the JWST’s journey, NASA
will perform routine mid-course corrections and analysis in
order to make sure that the JWST is functioning properly and
is on course to continue to do so [2]. The telescope will also
be cooled to its operating temperature during this time.
During the second month,the JWST will align and calibrate
the primary and secondary mirrors of the JWST [2]. The
mirrors will also be focused during this time. The JWST will

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also take test images to make sure the camera is working
properly; however, these images will be out of focus due to
the lack of complete alignment of the primary and secondary
mirrors [2].
During the third month, the JWST will turn on the NIRSpec,
allow it to calibrate, and finally be operable [2]. This will
allow the JWST to take the first science-quality images [2].
The JWST will also reach its final destination 930,000 miles
from Earth during the third month of travel [2]. During the
fourth month of the JWST’s journey, the camera will be fully
functional. NASA will optimize the remaining instruments of
the JWST, allowing it to be fully functional
[2].
After the sixth month, the JWST will finally be ready to
conduct full research and experiments. This journey will
certainly be nerve-racking for NASA scientists.If something
goes wrong with the hardware of the telescope, there will be
no way for scientists to fix it; if something goes wrong with
the software; however, scientists can send updated
information to the JWST through the high gain antenna.
POWERING THE JWST
The JWST will need to be powered to function properly.
The power will come from instruments inside of the spacecraft
box, depicted in Figure 11.
Figure 11 [2]
The spacecraft bus and its contents
This innovation of the JWST will contain solar panels to
collect solar energy, an altitude control system, as well as a
command and data handling system. All of these technological
systems in the spacecraft bus allow the JWST to be self-
sustaining in the vacuumof space.
Electrical Power Subsystem
The Electrical Power Subsystem(EPS) of the JWST will
provide power to the JWST throughout its mission. Two solar
panels extending from either side of the spacecraft box,
depicted in Figure 11. These panels are efficient triple
junction solar cells, providing energy to the entire telescope.
There will also be a deployment drive assembly (DDA) to
allow the solarpanels to rotate in accordance with the position
of the sun in the orbit of the JWST [11].
Altitude Control Subsystem
The altitude controlsubsystem(ACS) will have sun sensors,
star trackers, and fine steering sensors.The ACS will provide
smooth acceleration through the use of the fine steering
sensors to allow more accurate star measurements. These
measurements will help to allow the JWST to pinpoint the
precise location of specific stars and galaxies. The ACS will
provide the JWST will awareness of its orientation in the sky.
This will allow it to be more efficient by using less energy to
orientate the telescope to keep the mirrors away from the sun’s
rays [11].
Command and Data Handling System
The command and data handling system(CDHS) allows the
JWST to take the clearest possible photos. This increases
efficiency as the scientists at NASA are capable of analyzing
the images the JWST sees before the camera will take the
photo. Through the use of the CDHS, the JWST will
maximize the time it spends in orbit by not wasting time
taking useless photographs [11].
THE SEARCH THROUGH TIME
The ability to search through time is one of the most integral
functions of the JWST. In order to be able to view stars and
galaxies as they form, JWST must be able to ‘look back’ to
when these galaxies formed. JWST is capable of doing this
through use of the lightweight cryogenic mirrors. When you
look into a mirror, you see yourself six nanoseconds earlier.
You are seeing yourself in the past [1]. Using this simple
feature of mirrors, JWST is capable of looking back in time
13.4 billion light years, or 7.99x1022 miles away from Earth.
This is an incredible feat as the universe is only 13.7 billion
years old. Figure 12 displays the difference between the
visibility of the Hubble Telescope and the JWST according to
time. The Hubble telescope can only see 10 billion light years
while the JWST can see 13.4 billion light years. This 3.4
billion light years distance is crucial because it allows for
scientists to see the universe right after the Dark Age. Figure
12 shows the Big Bang, the Dark Age following, and then the
beginning of galaxies. The JWST’s visibility range is much
greater than that of the Hubble.

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Figure 12 [2]
The visibility range of the JWST contrasted with that of
the Hubble Telescope
Looking back in time this far will allow scientists to view
galaxies, stars, planets, protoplanetary systems, and nebulae
as they form. Through the JWST, scientists will be capable of
learning, and solidifying theories about the origins of the
universe, as well as witnessing the first light of the universe.
By looking at the clouds of dust in deep space through the
infrared spectrum, scientists will be capable of seeing through
this dust to view the assembly of stars and galaxies.
The JWST will also be able to determine the evolution of
things like dark matter, stars, and active nuclei from the
beginning of the universe to present day [2]. Through a survey
of galaxies using imaging and spectroscopy, the JWST will
determine when stars were formed, the rate of their formation,
and the stellar population of galaxies [1]. As galaxies are the
major components of the universe, this discovery will greatly
help space research advance over time.
One rising debate is that the Big Bang did not actually
happen. Quantum physicists used Einstein's theories of
relativity to disprove the Big Bang theory. With the JWST’s
ability to ‘look back’ in time, scientists can watch to see if the
universe had been continuous and, thus, will continue to exist
forever or if the Big Bang happened. In order to prove this,
scientists have to witness the creation of galaxies and stars,
otherwise the Big Bang theory could be questioned [9]. This
would revolutionize the way engineers and scientists will
view the universe. Not only can the JWST help scientists
search for the origins of the universe, but it can also aid them
in the search for life.
THE SEARCH FOR LIFE
While planets and stars seem to be the thing we are most
knowledgeable about when it comes to space,we do not truly
know very much about them. Scientists do not know details of
their formation from dust clouds (nebulas)to stars andplanets.
The details of the evolution of stars and protoplanetary system
formation will hopefully be uncovered by the JWST. It will
study the specifics of how proto-stellar clouds collapse, how
environment affects star formation, and the life cycles of gas
and dust [1]. Through the study of chemical and physical
properties of planets,the origins oflife can be discovered.The
JWST will study the history of the objects that formed the
Earth and discoverthe necessities in a planet’s composition to
support life [1]. The JWST will be able to discover other
planets capable of supporting life similar to that of Earth.
SOCIAL IMPACT
Although knowing the origins of the universe will be
exciting and interesting for scientists,will knowing the origins
of the universe benefit society? The common man may find
the beginnings of the universe unimportant or trivial to their
lives. Knowing this information does not enhance the lives the
seven billion people on this planet.Knowing the origins of the
universe is not going to solve the problems on Earth; it will
not deal with the ever growing global energy crisis or other
engineering issues on Earth.
One of the largest problems that NASA faces is the drastic
increase in cost from the original budget planned.At first, the
amount budgeted was approximately 1.6 billion dollars; now
that budget has risen to about 9billion [2]. NASA still remains
uncertain of the final cost of the JWST and its launch. A
continually increasing budget will lead to tax increases on the
people, an increase that the American people will not support.
A reason for this is that, it does not affect the common people
as much as the tax increase would [8]. With so much
uncertainty, the government is very skeptical of the
continuation of funding towards this project. This intense
spike in cost was due to NASA’s need for precision. In order
for the project to work properly, every last detail must be
designed and executed perfectly for the telescope to run. This
makes it a very expensive project as no expense can be spared
for it to run properly. If NASA uses anything less than ideal,
the JWST will be far less likely to function properly and will
become useless.
Along with budget issues, the JWST is also incredibly
behind schedule. Originally set to be launched in 2011, the
JWST’s launch has been pushed back seven years from the
original plan [4]. This immense delay in production and
launch is another reason why the government and the public
are questioning why this much money and so many resources
are being allocated to such a seemingly trivial technology [5].
If something on JWST does not function properly, another
ethical dilemma is posed.It is very possible for something on
JWST to break due to many fragile technological parts. One
of the more delicate parts of the telescope is the SMSS. If this
part fails to withstand the vacuumof space and degrades,then
the telescope is rendered useless. In the event that one of the
technologies of JWST does fail or that something goes wrong
with its launch, humanity does not have the technology to go

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the 930,000 miles into deep space to repair it. It will become
a 9 billion dollar piece of space debris.
Anotherproblem that the JWST will add to the amount of
space debris orbiting around Earth. As stated earlier, the
JWST will be launched in the Ariane 5 rocket. When the
telescope releases the launch vehicle, it does not just
disappear. The Ariane 5 will join the rest of the debris from
previous launches from all nations.The continuation of space
programs will lead to a large accumulation of space debris.
The more debris in space leads to a greater chance of
damaging future launch vehicles and people. To lessen space
research’s impact on space debris, the Inter-Agency Space
Debris Coordination Committee is forcing countries to
remove space debris. The liability treaty actually represents a
barrier to countries having others undertake to remove any
such debris.Although this committee exists, there is no clearly
identified technical means by which this debris can be
removed from orbit. Until technology is developed to the
point where scientists can remove this debris, they have to use
a laser guided systemto prevent collisions fromoccurring. To
solve this issue, the University of Michigan will study the
Space Debris Elimination systemto remove debris from orbit
by firing focused pulses of atmospheric gases into the path of
targeted debris. The pulses should increase drag to cause the
debris to deorbit and cause it to fall back down to earth [2].
THE IMPORTANCE OF JWST
The JWST will be a key component in space research in the
years to come. When it is launched in 2018, it will replace the
Hubble Telescope and begin its search for life and the origins
of the universe. Using MicroshutterAnalysis and lightweight
cryogenic mirrors to search through time, the JWST will
utilize many new technologies. These advancements will
greatly help JWST in its journey through space and time. If
JWST is to succeed,then the technologies such as the mirrors
and microshutters will be further implemented in other
projects.Through the JWST, technologies will be advanced to
the point of being capable of discovering new life, as well as
discovering the origins of the universe.
REFERENCES
[1](2013). “5 Things We Have Thanks to Space Exploration.”
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to thank Josh Peters, a peer advisor who gave
us feedback and was supportive of our undertaking of this
paper. We would also like to thank anotherpeer advisor, Matt
Ubinger. We would also like to thankRachel Rohr for helping
us through the process of writing this paper. We would like to
finally thank Dr. Vidic and Robert Zupan Jr. for being so
helpful to us in our Engineering 0012 class. We would like to
thank our Chair, Mr. Jack Andes and how we appreciate how
he took time out of his day to help strengthen our paper. Last
but not least we would like to thank Renee Prymus, our
writing instructor.Without her this paper could not have been
possible.