James Webb Space Telescope Out of Chamber “A” on This Week @NASA – December 1, 2017

TL;DR

James Webb Space Telescope completes cryogenic testing, Mars 2020 rover equipped for searching signs of ancient life on Mars, next ISS crew prepares for launch, SpaceX to launch resupply mission, new research reveals distant object with giant black holes, Apollo Mission Control Center being restored.

Transcript

“Here’s some of the stories trending This Week at NASA!” Our James Webb Space Telescope is now out of the historic Chamber A vacuum facility at our Johnson Space Center in Houston, after completing cryogenic testing designed to ensure the telescope works well in the cold, airless environment of space. Set to launch in 2019, Webb will study every ph... Read More

Key Insights

• 👾 Cryogenic testing is crucial to ensure the functionality of space telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope.
• 🇲🇭 The Mars 2020 rover's advanced features will enhance its ability to search for signs of ancient life on Mars.
• 👾 The launch of the next crew to the International Space Station and the resupply mission demonstrate continued human presence and scientific activities in space.
• 🖤 New research using the Chandra X-ray Observatory has provided insights into a distant object with giant black holes beyond the Andromeda galaxy.
• 🥮 The restoration of the Apollo Mission Control Center will offer a glimpse into the historic Apollo 11 moon landing and will be completed for the 50th anniversary.
• 👾 NASA collaborates with international partners like Roscosmos and JAXA for space exploration missions.
• 🖐️ SpaceX plays a significant role as a commercial cargo partner for resupply missions to the International Space Station.

Questions & Answers

Q: What was the purpose of the cryogenic testing for the James Webb Space Telescope?

The cryogenic testing was done to ensure that the telescope can function properly in the cold and airless environment of space, where it will study the history of the universe from the post-Big Bang era.

Q: What makes the Mars 2020 rover better equipped than its predecessor?

The Mars 2020 rover has new landing technology to avoid hazards, advanced instruments to search for bio-signatures on a microbial scale, and ground-penetrating radar to map layers of water and ice up to 30 feet deep.

Q: When will the next crew for the International Space Station launch?

The crew, consisting of a NASA astronaut, a Roscosmos cosmonaut, and a JAXA astronaut, is set to launch on December 17 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Q: What kind of cargo will SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft deliver to the International Space Station?

The Dragon spacecraft will deliver about 4,800 pounds of cargo, including experiments on synthetic bone material and fiber optics, a space debris sensor, and an instrument to measure solar energy.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The James Webb Space Telescope has finished cryogenic testing to ensure it functions well in the cold, airless environment of space.

• The Mars 2020 rover will have advanced features to search for signs of ancient life on Mars, including new landing technology and ground-penetrating radar.

• The next crew for the International Space Station is getting ready for launch, and NASA and SpaceX are preparing to launch a resupply mission.

• New research has discovered a distant object with giant black holes beyond the Andromeda galaxy, and the Apollo Mission Control Center is being restored for the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11.