(NEXSTAR) — A small meteor has caused “significant irreparable damage” to NASA’s $10 billion James Webb Telescope, a new report says. Although experts say the effect was small, it prompted further investigation.
At 6 meters tall, the gold-plated, flower-shaped Web Mirror is the largest and most delicate ever sent into space. It consists of 18 sections, one of which was slapped bye Micrometeorites larger than expected in may. Micrometeorites are asteroid fragments that are usually smaller than a grain of sand, according to NASA.
At the time, Paul Geithner, deputy technical director for the project at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, explained that Webb was known to have to survive the harsh environment of space, including micrometeorites.
In a recent version ReportWebb’s commissioning team said that while the telescope’s mirrors and sunshields are expected to slowly decay with micrometeorite impacts, the impact on a specific segment, known as C3, “exceeded previous expectations of damage from a single small meteorite. .”
Despite this, Webb’s team determined that the overall effect on the telescope was negligible. Engineers were able to realign Webb’s parts to adapt to the damage from micrometeorites.
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Webb has experienced meteors for at least six minutes since its December launch, roughly the equivalent of one impact per month, according to the report. However, the damage to C3 led engineers to investigate whether the impact was rare, meaning it could happen once every few years, or whether Webb was “more susceptible to micrometeorite damage than pre-launch modeling predicted.” ”.
They are now working to determine how other micrometeorites might affect Webb’s mirrors, how many asteroid fragments there are, and whether the telescope should be modified to spend less time referring to orbital motion as it may be more at risk of collision. Precise meteorite.
According to engineers, depending on fuel usage and the expected deterioration of the telescope, Webb could last for more than 20 years. It was launched into space in December from French Guiana in South America and The observation point has reached a million miles off the ground in January. Then began the long process of aligning the mirrors and cooling the infrared detectors enough to operate and calibrate the scientific instruments, all protected by a tennis court-sized canopy that keeps the telescope cool.
It was Webb’s first photos, which gave us the deepest insight into time and distance we’ve ever seen. released last week. With one exception, recent images have shown parts of the universe seen by other telescopes. But Webb’s sheer power, location far from Earth, and use of the infrared light spectrum showed them in a new light.
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This image provided by NASA on Tuesday, July 12, 2022, shows Stephan’s Quintet, a visible cluster of five galaxies captured by the Webb Telescope’s Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and the Medium Infrared Instruments (MIRI) instrument. This mosaic was created from around 1,000 separate image files, according to NASA. (NASA, ESA, CSA and STScI via AP) -
This image provided by NASA on Monday, July 11, 2022, shows the galaxy cluster SMACS 0723, taken by the James Webb Space Telescope. The telescope is designed to look back so far that scientists can glimpse the dawn of the universe some 13.7 billion years ago and zoom the nearest cosmic objects, even our own solar system, into sharper focus. (NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI via AP) -
This image released by NASA on Tuesday, July 12, 2022, shows the bright star at the center of NGC 3132, the South Ring Nebula, for the first time in near-infrared light. (NASA, ESA, CSA and STScI via AP) -
FILE – In this image provided by NASA on April 13, 2017, technicians lift the James Webb Space Telescope’s mirror using a crane at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Take a look at the dawn of the universe about 13.7 billion years ago and zoom in on the nearest cosmic objects, even our own solar system, in sharper focus. (Laura Betz/NASA via AP, Archive) -
This image released by NASA on Tuesday, July 12, 2022, combines the capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope’s two cameras to create an unprecedented view of the Carina Nebula’s star-forming region. Taken in infrared light by the Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and the Medium Infrared Instrument (MIRI), this image reveals previously unseen regions of star birth. (NASA, ESA, CSA and STScI via AP) -
This set of images released by NASA on Tuesday, July 12, 2022, shows a side-by-side comparison of observations of the South Ring Nebula in near-infrared light on the left and mid-infrared light on the right. of the Webb Telescope. (NASA, ESA, CSA and STScI via AP) -
FILE – This artist’s 2015 rendering of Northrop Grumman via NASA shows the James Webb Space Telescope. The telescope is designed to look back so far that scientists can glimpse the dawn of the universe some 13.7 billion years ago and zoom the nearest cosmic objects, even our own solar system, into sharper focus. (Northrop Grumman/NASA via AP, Archive) -
This image provided by NASA on Tuesday, July 12, 2022, shows Stephan’s Quintet, a visible group of five galaxies captured by the Webb Telescope’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI). (NASA, ESA, CSA and STScI via AP)
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The plan is to use the telescope to look back so far that scientists get a glimpse of the early days of the universe some 13.7 billion years ago and zoom in on the nearest cosmic objects, even our own solar system, into closer focus. sharp.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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