James Webb Telescope's Plans Being Changed To Escape Powerful Micrometeoroids

The legendary James Webb Space Telescope is giving us regular sneak peeks into far-off cosmos through its powerful hardware. Even then, the telescope isn't completely invincible, especially in the face of micrometeoroids.

Even though JWST was designed to withstand the regular brush or two, its teams have now developed a plan to minimise potential collisions with micrometeoroids.

Launched on December 21, 2021, the telescope has been hit by 14 measurable micrometeoroids so far, averaging at one to two hits per month. One of these impacts caused some optical errors, but JWST's teams were prepared for such events.

NASA

Keeping James Webb ready for anything

While it may have withstood micrometeoroid hits so far, JWST scientists already claim that one of the impacts was stronger than their prelaunch models had suggested, forcing them to rethink how to keep JWST in space for as long as possible.

After the impact in May, NASA gathered a working group of experts from JWST's team, the Space Telescope Science Institute, the NASA Meteoroid Environment Office, and from manufacturers of the telescope's mirror.

Also read: James Webb Space Telescope Captures Hourglass Shaped Birth Of A Star

They looked into the impact and found that statistically, the chances of an impact like that one were rare - for it hit a particularly sensitive location on the mirror.

Regardless, the team thought it was best to change the way observations are made - forcing the telescope to face away from what is known as the "micrometeoroid avoidance zone."

NASA

"Micrometeoroids that strike the mirror head-on have twice the relative velocity and four times the kinetic energy, so avoiding this direction when feasible will help extend the exquisite optical performance for decades," said Lee Feinberg, JWST's optical telescope element manager, in a NASA statement.

Also read: James Webb Space Telescope Captures Haunting Image Of The Pillars Of Creation

NASA

This change in approach isn't gonna limit the telescope's potential. Instead it'll make certain observations only when it's safe from micrometeoroid impacts. This might not be true for time-sensitive observations, which will continue as usual.

What do you think about what we've seen from the James Webb Space Telescope so far? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.

References

Cesari, A. T. (2022, November 15). NASA Webb Micrometeoroid Mitigation Update ¨C James Webb Space Telescope. https://blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2022/11/15/nasa-webb-micrometeoroid-mitigation-update/

Desk, S. (2022, November 17). James Webb Telescope¡¯s observation plans to be changed to avoid micrometeoroids. The Indian Express. https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/science/nasa-james-webb-space-telescope-micrometeoroids-8273882/