Why is the James Webb Telescope so important that it promises to revolutionize space

telescope mosques webWhich will take off next Saturday from Guyana French, will allow “Rewrite AstronomyIt provides unpublished data on the origin of the universe thanks to its new components and design that makes it unique.

As explained to EFE Jeronimo Villanueva, astronomer NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, in a conversation Zoom, the telescope is scheduled to separate from the rocket (A Ariane 5) in the first thirty minutes after take-off, scheduled for 07.20 local time (12.20 GMT) weather conditions permitting, since there were already several delays for this reason.

Then, in the following days, the telescope will be fully deployed, which Villanueva described as “The most dramatic part”, since it includes the opening of a platform as large as a tennis court, whose function will be a multi-layered sun canopy that protects the core of the telescope, which weighs about 6,500 kilograms, from infrared radiation.

James Webb, named after a former official in NASA, will be the largest space science observatory in the world and is a joint mission of NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and Canadian Space Agency.

In search of infrared

What distinguishes the mosques web From previous generations of telescopes he will observe the universe in the infrared spectrum, so he will be able to observe the first galaxies, those closest to the moment big live.

“This will allow you to look at very far distances, which is the equivalent of looking into the past playing at the speed of light: the farther we look, the further back in time we go.”, explains the astronomer, who adds another great feature to mosques web: Its enormous size, allowing it to pick up very weak hitherto undetectable signals and thus get closer to the origin of the universe.

the mosques web Thus it represents a quantum leap with regard to Hubble, focuses primarily on visible light, so the new telescope will have a very remote observing capability. Why is it important to collect this information from billions of years ago?

Villanueva realizes that there isThe philosophical connection, i.e. understanding the origin of the universe, where we come from; Those existential connotations of what makes us”, and give an example: If the telescope allows us to understand how particles and elementary particles arise, then this knowledge can be applied to physics and the development of new materials in science. the earth.

Ten years of age, extendable

James Webb is designed to have a useful life of at least five years, and can be extended up to ten years, but in fact”They can work for decades, and are designed to last longer‘, as happened with HubbleHe remembers the astronomer whose life was extended by the fact of his passing.re-inventionOver the decades.

For this, it was very important to provide her with what he called “redundant system”, that is, each of the most sensitive elements is repeated so many times that if it malfunctions, due to the impossibility of human intervention to repair it, this will allow each defective element to be separated by a similar one; this will make it possible mainly to keep the vital communication system active.

Another factor that will allow to extend its life is the issue of fuel:parking Void“Where will you mosques web -known as Lagrange point 2“It’s a location chosen for its stability within the solar system, allowing it to remain active with very little fuel,” he explained. Villanueva.

For some time , web and the Hubble They will coexist, and this symbiosis is very rich from a scientific point of view because it would allow the two telescopes to observe the same target at the same time and send their observations data for them to be able to compare.

The data is accessible to all of humanity

about ownership or use of data, Villanueva He explained that the first observations conveyed by James Webb will be of immediate and general interest, and this includes what is called in scientific terms “Early release flag“Yes”Guarantee time notes“: Both will be immediately reportable and actionable.

“One of our goals is for James Webb to be a legacy to humanity and science in general, as was Hubble., confirmed Villanueva. Then, it is true that the three space agencies – American, European and Canadian – have designed specific programs with precise observation schedules that will be stored exclusively for a year, but after that time they will become freely available to the whole world, specified.

finally, Villanueva He also touched on the controversy associated with the name of the telescope, as an internal movement of astronomers asked to change its name as it became known that it exceeds its scientific contributions, mosques web He was someone who had anti-homosexual behaviours.

Without getting into an argument, Villanueva He regrets that this question has obscured the work of the hundreds of people who made the telescope possible—a thousand in its concept and manufacture, and between 200 and 300 so far to process its data—and considered the question to be a warning to scientific agencies about the dangers of appropriating great scientific inventions.

(With information from EFE). –

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