Ball Aerospace Installs Mirrors on Northrop’s Webb Telescope, Pre-Launch Testing Soon
Photo: northropgrumman.com
Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. completed installing a set of auxiliary mirrors for the Northrop Grumman-built James Webb Space Telescope and Northrop will start the next phase of tests in May.
Northrop said it will test the telescope’s ability to withstand the rocket launch and the cold temperatures of space.
Northrop is the prime contractor responsible for designing and developing the telescope for NASA‘s Goddard Space Flight Center.
Ball is Northrop’s principal subcontractor for designing and integrating the telescope’s optical system.
Scott Texter, a Northrop manager for the Webb program, said Ball’s work was the last major effort in manufacturing the telescope’s large optical components.
The auxiliary mirrors focus the light from the primary mirror into the telescope’s science instruments.
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