NASA on December 28, 2021 announced that the spacecraft controller had begun the process of removing the sun visor. This process begins by deriving two components called Unitized Pallet Structures. One on the front side of the spacecraft and the other on the back.
The front structure was installed into position at 13:21. Followed by the back about six hours later. The structure of the sun visor consists of five layers called Kapton coated aluminum. The process of installing a sun visor is one of the most risky aspects. (Read also; James Webb Telescope Sun Shield Opens )
“Sun protection is one of those processes that can hardly be done inherently (separately). Sun visor is one part that has some risks,” said Mike Menzel, principal mission systems engineer for JWST at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
This sun visor has an important function, namely to keep the telescope cool enough when operating in space. Once installed, the sun visor will block sunlight from reaching the telescope and its instruments.
Because, to keep the telescope functioning properly, the temperature must reach minus 233 degrees Celsius. These cold temperatures are necessary for the telescope to function effectively for infrared observations of objects in outer space.
The downgrading of the sunshield structure is only the beginning of the complex process of installing the entire sunshield. After the telescope tower is extended, a process scheduled for December 29, the sun visor cover will be released the following day.
The attachments on the left and right sides of the telescope will be extended a day later, after which the cables will form five complete layers as the final shape. It is estimated that the time for the sun visor opening process is completed on January 2, 2022. (Read also; The Biggest and Most Expensive Telescope, Ariane 5 Rocket Successfully Launches James Webb )
The engineers had explained prior to launch that installing the sun visor was the most difficult process of the entire JWST commissioning. Each step of opening the sun visor is followed by the next, using a combination of cables, pulleys, and motors.
Krystal Puga, JWST spacecraft systems engineer at Northrop Grumman, is confident the installation of the sun visor will go smoothly, despite all the complexities. “We’ve done several tests over the years on both small and full-size models. This gives us confidence that all of these processes will be successfully passed by the James Webb Telescope,” he said.
(Web)
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