The James Webb Space Telescope successfully completed its pre-launch test by opening its iconic primary glass, the last on Earth. It is the largest and most powerful space science telescope in the world.
In the final test, the 6.5-meter glass was ordered to fully expand and boot itself, making sure to sustain its million-mile (1.6 million-kilometer) journey and ready to discover the origin of the universe.
- The telescope must be mounted within a five-meter missile vehicle and is said to be designed to fold in ‘origami-style’.
- After this test, the test will confirm that all the movable parts of the telescope can perform their desired functions after being exposed to the expected launch environment.
- Proper alignment in space is considered important for the process of transforming web personal glass into a functional and massive reflector.
- The test of each actuator and their expected movements were completed in the final operational test earlier this year.