NASA's James Webb Space Telescope emerged from Chamber A at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston on Dec. 1, 2017, to prepare for its upcoming move to California. Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, or Webb, emerged from Chamber A at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston on Dec. 1 to prepare for its upcoming move to California.
The telescope's combined science instruments and optical element recently completed about 100 days of cryogenic testing inside Johnson's Chamber A, a massive thermal vacuum testing chamber at the center. Scientists and engineers at Johnson put Webb through a series of tests designed to ensure the telescope functioned as expected in an extremely cold, airless environment akin to that of space.
This move outside the chamber brings Webb one step closer to its journey to Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems in Redondo Beach, California, where it will be integrated with its spacecraft element to form the complete James Webb Space Telescope observatory. The spacecraft element is Webb's combined sunshield and spacecraft bus.
Engineers pose by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope shortly after it emerged from Chamber A at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston on Dec. 1, 2017. Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn
Provided by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
