spacetoday.net: space news from around the webin association with SpaceNews


NASA approves James Webb Space Telescope mirror design
Posted: Thu, Sep 11, 2003, 10:51 AM ET (1451 GMT)
James Webb Space Telescope (NASA) NASA announced Wednesday that it has signed off on the mirror design for the James Webb Space Telescope, a spacecraft billed as the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope. The design, approved by NASA and prime contractor Northrop Grumman Space Technology (formerly TRW), will use a primary mirror made of 18 hexagonal segments of beryllium. The beryllium mirror was part of the initial proposal that NASA selected one year ago, but conducted a six-month test of both it as well as an alternative technology, ultra low-expansion glass. Production of the mirror segments is scheduled to begin in the next few months, although the spacecraft is not scheduled for launch until August 2011. While both NASA and Northrop Grumman press releases indicate that the mirror will be 6.5 meters in diameter, reports in recent months indicated the telescope would be shrunk slightly to six meters across in a cost-savings effort.
<<previous article   next article>>
news in brief
White House releases new space transportation policy
Posted: Sat, Aug 22 7:56 AM ET (1156 GMT)

Rocket Lab launches Japanese SAR satellite
Posted: Sat, Aug 22 7:53 AM ET (1153 GMT)

NASA and Katalyst Space call off Swift reboost attempt
Posted: Sat, Aug 22 7:50 AM ET (1150 GMT)

news links
Saturday, August 29
Trump announces creation of US Space Academy
The Hill — 6:31 am ET (1031 GMT)
Trump signs order to create a space service academy
Task & Purpose — 6:30 am ET (1030 GMT)
Trump signs executive order creating US Space Academy
Washington Examiner — 6:30 am ET (1030 GMT)


about spacetoday.net   ·   info@spacetoday.net   ·   mailing list