The telescope has stretched out the ‘neck’, on which the mirrors rest, among other things, paving the way for the next crucial step: fully unfolding the sun shield.

The mighty James Webb telescope has already been on its way for several days to its final destination at a sloppy 1.6 million kilometers from Earth. Meanwhile, the thousands of parts that make up the telescope must be carefully unfolded. One of the most exciting parts will be the unfolding of the immense sun shield. And the push, stretching out Webb’s neck, has now been successfully completed.

long neck

James Webb has done a ‘Long Neck’ in space, as it were. Because just like the famous fairytale character from the Efteling, the telescope has stretched out the ‘neck’, on which the mirrors rest, among other things. The neck is now about 1.22 meters long. This maneuver has created space between the upper part of the observatory – which carries the mirrors and scientific instruments – and the lower section – where the electronics and propulsion systems are located.

Incidentally, this ‘Long Neck’ was not just done. Its realization took about six and a half hours in total. First, technicians activated the unlocking devices and configured the software and electronics before the “neck” — which looks like a large black pipe — could be extended. This movement was powered by a built-in motor.

Distance

Thanks to the extension of the neck, there is now enough distance to keep the sensitive mirrors and instruments cool. This is necessary to be able to detect infrared light. In addition, the opening created now also offers sufficient space for the next crucial step: fully unfolding the sun shield.

sun shield

The unfolding of the immense sun shield, which is about as long as a tennis court, is going to be quite exciting. The sun shield is of crucial importance for the functioning of the telescope. This shield is folded around the mirrors and instruments of the telescope like an umbrella and protects, among other things, the very sensitive infrared instruments – which must remain very cold to function – against the heat of the sun.

Meanwhile, James Webb has already successfully unfolded many parts. In total, James Webb will take 29 days to get all his parts ready.

So we will have to bite our nails for a while. Because there are still some essential steps ahead. For the time being, the telescope appears to be functioning properly. In fact, it even exceeds expectations. Yesterday, NASA announced that after launch, there will be enough fuel left to conduct research for more than ten years. And that means that we can count on a lot of wonderful discoveries from this largest space telescope ever.