NASA STEM Stars: Astrophysicist - James Webb Space Telescope

TL;DR

Dr. Hashema Hassan shares her career journey and excitement for the Webb Space Telescope, encouraging students to pursue their STEM dreams.

Transcript

okay stem fans are you ready let's hear it for the world-class nasa stem stars team from nasa centers across the country we present dr hashema hassan [Applause] hello and welcome to this week's nasa stem stars each week we connect with subject matter experts that work at nasa and learn about their stem career in their education and personal interes... Read More

Key Insights

• 🛰️ Dr. Hashema Hassan's interest in astronomy began during her childhood in India when she witnessed the launch of the first space satellite.
• 💦 She pursued a career in physics and nuclear physics, eventually working on the Hubble Space Telescope and becoming a research astronomer.
• ❓ Dr. Hassan is now involved in the development of the Webb Space Telescope, which will provide even more powerful capabilities for exploring the universe.
• 💄 The Hubble Space Telescope has been instrumental in making groundbreaking discoveries in astronomy, and the Webb telescope is expected to continue this legacy.
• 🔭 The Webb telescope will complement the work of the Hubble telescope, providing valuable insights into the formation of stars, planets, and galaxies.
• 🎟️ Students can access data from NASA's missions, including Hubble and future Webb missions, through publicly available archives.
• 🧑‍🎓 Dr. Hassan encourages students to pursue their STEM dreams with passion, determination, and innovation.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Dr. Hashema Hassan become interested in astronomy?

Dr. Hassan became interested in astronomy during her childhood in India when she witnessed the launch of the first space satellite, Sputnik. She was fascinated by the night sky and developed a love for space exploration.

Q: Can you explain the importance of the Hubble Space Telescope and some of the challenges it faced?

The Hubble Space Telescope has been a game-changer in astronomy, leading to significant discoveries and even a Nobel Prize on dark energy. Some of its challenges included an optics problem that required adjustments and the need for regular servicing missions to upgrade instruments and fix issues.

Q: How does the James Webb Space Telescope compare to the Hubble Space Telescope?

The James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) is considered the successor of Hubble and offers more powerful capabilities. Webb has a larger mirror diameter, operates in the infrared spectrum, and can see farther back in time to the formation of the first stars and galaxies.

Q: When can we expect the launch of the Webb Space Telescope?

The Webb Space Telescope is scheduled to launch next year in October. It will take about six months after launch before the telescope produces high-quality scientific images.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Dr. Hashema Hassan is a program scientist at NASA Headquarters and is currently working on the Webb Space Telescope project.

• Her interest in space began when she witnessed the launch of the first space satellite, Sputnik, and her passion for astronomy grew from there.

• She has had a diverse career, including studying nuclear physics, working on the Hubble Space Telescope, and now contributing to the development of the Webb Space Telescope.