James Webb’s Monitor Mode Has Failed

An instrument from the James Webb Telescope lights up a technical defect to have. This allows the endoscope According to NASA Do not use monitor mode.

Generally stand space telescope 17 monitoring modes available, all of which are capable of detecting different wavelengths of radiation. in the mechanism mid infrared tools (Mid-Infrared Instrument, MIRI), according to NASA, has appeared August 24 to a technical problem.

Friction increase with lattice wheel

in send The space agency talks about “increasing friction.” Grid wheela type of gear wheel that allows the researchers to switch between short, medium and long wavelengths in their observations.

MIRI has total 4 modes of monitoring, but due to the defect, “medium-resolution spectroscopy” is no longer possible at the moment. However, NASA confirms that the rest of the telescope is working as expected Works. There are strategies already in the works to restore jobs as quickly as possible.

Coolest instrument in the James Webb Telescope

MIRI is one of the main instruments of the James Webb Telescope. You can find things far in the middle infrared range Watch. These wavelengths have the advantage that they too clouds of dust It can penetrate the universe. This makes stars and galaxies visible beyond what can be seen with optical telescopes. But also among the stars gas withdrawal They can be observed with an unprecedented level of detail thanks to MIRI.

At the same time, MIRI is the coldest instrument in the telescope. Passive cooling from -233 ° C in a cold environment is not enough for the device to work. Must be active in -267 degrees Chilled – thus only about 6 degrees warmer than the absolute temperature Scratch.

task largely without problems

The James Webb Telescope’s mission has so far proceeded without major complications. It caused a short setback a hit One Micrometeorites In the telescope’s primary mirror at the end of May. Although this did not affect the function of the telescope, NASA said the damage was greater than expected. resident 20 years Webb must stay in space and send images of the universe back to Earth.