Webb 101: 10 Facts About The James Webb Space Telescope

Webb 101: 10 Facts about the James Webb Space Telescope

Did you know…?

1. Our upcoming James Webb Space Telescope will act like a powerful time machine – because it will capture light that’s been traveling across space for as long as 13.5 billion years, when the first stars and galaxies were formed out of the darkness of the early universe.

2. Webb will be able to see infrared light. This is light that is just outside the visible spectrum, and just outside of what we can see with our human eyes.

3. Webb’s unprecedented sensitivity to infrared light will help astronomers to compare the faintest, earliest galaxies to today’s grand spirals and ellipticals, helping us to understand how galaxies assemble over billions of years.

Hubble’s infrared look at the Horsehead Nebula. Credit: NASA/ESA/Hubble Heritage Team

4. Webb will be able to see right through and into massive clouds of dust that are opaque to visible-light observatories like the Hubble Space Telescope. Inside those clouds are where stars and planetary systems are born.

5. In addition to seeing things inside our own solar system, Webb will tell us more about the atmospheres of planets orbiting other stars, and perhaps even find the building blocks of life elsewhere in the universe.

Credit: Northrop Grumman

6. Webb will orbit the Sun a million miles away from Earth, at the place called the second Lagrange point. (L2 is four times further away than the moon!)

7. To preserve Webb’s heat sensitive vision, it has a ‘sunshield’ that’s the size of a tennis court; it gives the telescope the equivalent of SPF protection of 1 million! The sunshield also reduces the temperature between the hot and cold side of the spacecraft by almost 600 degrees Fahrenheit.

8. Webb’s 18-segment primary mirror is over 6 times bigger in area than Hubble’s and will be ~100x more powerful. (How big is it? 6.5 meters in diameter.)

9. Webb’s 18 primary mirror segments can each be individually adjusted to work as one massive mirror. They’re covered with a golf ball’s worth of gold, which optimizes them for reflecting infrared light (the coating is so thin that a human hair is 1,000 times thicker!).

10. Webb will be so sensitive, it could detect the heat signature of a bumblebee at the distance of the moon, and can see details the size of a US penny at the distance of about 40 km.

BONUS! Over 1,200 scientists, engineers and technicians from 14 countries (and more than 27 U.S. states) have taken part in designing and building Webb. The entire project is a joint mission between NASA and the European and Canadian Space Agencies. The telescope part of the observatory was assembled in the world’s largest cleanroom at our Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.

Webb is currently being tested at our Johnson Space Flight Center in Houston, TX.

Afterwards, the telescope will travel to Northrop Grumman to be mated with the spacecraft and undergo final testing. Once complete, Webb will be packed up and be transported via boat to its launch site in French Guiana, where a European Space Agency Ariane 5 rocket will take it into space.

Learn more about the James Webb Space Telescope HERE, or follow the mission on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com.

Eclipse Across America

August 21, 2017, the United States experienced a solar eclipse!

An eclipse occurs when the Moon temporarily blocks the light from the Sun. Within the narrow, 60- to 70-mile-wide band stretching from Oregon to South Carolina called the path of totality, the Moon completely blocked out the Sun’s face; elsewhere in North America, the Moon covered only a part of the star, leaving a crescent-shaped Sun visible in the sky.

During this exciting event, we were collecting your images and reactions online.

Here are a few images of this celestial event…take a look:

This composite image, made from 4 frames, shows the International Space Station, with a crew of six onboard, as it transits the Sun at roughly five miles per second during a partial solar eclipse from, Northern Cascades National Park in Washington. Onboard as part of Expedition 52 are: NASA astronauts Peggy Whitson, Jack Fischer, and Randy Bresnik; Russian cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Sergey Ryazanskiy; and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Paolo Nespoli.

Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

The Bailey’s Beads effect is seen as the moon makes its final move over the sun during the total solar eclipse on Monday, August 21, 2017 above Madras, Oregon.

Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

This image from one of our Twitter followers shows the eclipse through tree leaves as crescent shaped shadows from Seattle, WA.

Credit: Logan Johnson

“The eclipse in the palm of my hand”. The eclipse is seen here through an indirect method, known as a pinhole projector, by one of our followers on social media from Arlington, TX.

Credit: Mark Schnyder

Through the lens on a pair of solar filter glasses, a social media follower captures the partial eclipse from Norridgewock, ME.

Credit: Mikayla Chase

While most of us watched the eclipse from Earth, six humans had the opportunity to view the event from 250 miles above on the International Space Station. European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Paolo Nespoli captured this image of the Moon’s shadow crossing America.

Credit: Paolo Nespoli

This composite image shows the progression of a partial solar eclipse over Ross Lake, in Northern Cascades National Park, Washington. The beautiful series of the partially eclipsed sun shows the full spectrum of the event.

Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

In this video captured at 1,500 frames per second with a high-speed camera, the International Space Station, with a crew of six onboard, is seen in silhouette as it transits the sun at roughly five miles per second during a partial solar eclipse, Monday, Aug. 21, 2017 near Banner, Wyoming.

Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky

To see more images from our NASA photographers, visit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto/albums/72157685363271303

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com

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laossj

7 years ago

[SCAM WARNING]BITMAIN(s) Find more Bitcoin mining rig reviews: http://bitcoinist.net

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laossj

7 years ago

Elastic Man

Interactive webtoy from Adult Swim put together by David Li features an elastic Morty head which you can stretch and pull to your hearts desire.

Try it out for yourself here

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laossj

7 years ago

Finding your friends at a festival | by David Urbina for @neonapp. Get notified when the app is released. Music: Seven Lions x Illenium x Said The Sky.

the age of the really useful apps is starting

— Nil (@niluspc)

August 16, 2017

This is rad. Hope it shows up at some festivals soon https://t.co/c9a1W7auEe

— Goldroom (@goldroom)

August 16, 2017

One of the best uses for AR I’ve seen. https://t.co/kxGAUzVyEf

— Alexander Danling (@baobame)

August 15, 2017

Seeing more practical and indispensable use-cases for AR than I have for new apps in quite a while. pic.twitter.com/zwHEGkYZrK via @ARKitweekly

— Scott Belsky (@scottbelsky)

August 15, 2017

Reasons like this are why I think AR >> VR https://t.co/7rt5pRT3o6

— Mohammad Al Azzouni (@mazzouni)

August 17, 2017

I need this in my life! https://t.co/yGbGrWYLBD

— Stefan Goodchild ⚛ (@stefangoodchild)

August 15, 2017

ARKit really will bring a new wave of useful functionality to the phone. https://t.co/H6TT1SlFkj

— CM Harrington (@octothorpe)

August 15, 2017

I love this. Good example of AR solving a REAL problem 👏 https://t.co/6wx3RSwSag

— Sam Clarke (@sclarke111)

August 17, 2017

ARKit is going to empower so many awesome apps when iOS 11 ships. https://t.co/MUaTqbDUb1

— Matt Sayward (@mattsayward)

August 15, 2017

By far the most functional implementation of AR I’ve ever seen. https://t.co/cWC3ymxq9z

— Thomas Claessens (@DeClaessens)

August 16, 2017

This looks mighty useful https://t.co/vh3vTjuVLO

— Max Böck (@mxbck)

August 15, 2017

Impressive (and actually useful) https://t.co/VHdlXzAdGY

— Dominik Schmidt (@sluderndotcom)

August 16, 2017

This is such a good idea! https://t.co/X7xhgB7xeT

— Donna Lowe (@reloweeda)

August 15, 2017

👍🏽 would be super handy https://t.co/9Tk2Q16qnE

— Simon (@liquidmedia2013)

August 15, 2017

Genuinely useful AR coming to a field near you. https://t.co/4M8b92UJLk

— Cennydd (@Cennydd)

August 16, 2017

Find you festival friends with AR - Definitely the coolest implementation I’ve seen so far. App revolution 2.0 on its way. https://t.co/dKDkPRbMw1

— Tom Austin (@tomhaustin)

August 15, 2017

I can’t wait to try his app 😱 https://t.co/YHkZ9F91Zn

— Alexandre Mouriec (@mrcalexandre)

August 15, 2017

This is magical. ARKit demos by the app developers have been 👌🏻. Can’t wait to play with these apps. https://t.co/0RmQ7kkCiE

— KietChieng  (@KietChieng)

August 16, 2017

GIMME THAT GIMME THAT RIGHT NOW https://t.co/Hg6fO6GWOq

— Valentin (@valdecarpentrie)

August 15, 2017

This is something I need https://t.co/iVjEkRxCaJ

— Andrew Rodebaugh (@andrewrodebaugh)

August 15, 2017

Less lost folks wandering the festival grounds aimlessly… Love some functional AR! https://t.co/deXJ8nMFQu

— Kent Weber (@WeberKent)

August 15, 2017

Again. This will be a game changer https://t.co/YiN2LQvmU5

— Jens@Gamescom (@JensHerforth)

August 15, 2017

This is a pretty cool use of GPS+ARKit, awesome demo use case! 🛳-it! #ARKit #MapKit #iOS11 https://t.co/LmMjPfo7KW

— Benjamin Hendricks (@benjhendricks)

August 15, 2017

The practical uses of #AR are incredible… this kind of thing will be the norm in the next few years & I can’t wait to test it. #Innovation https://t.co/XdkAdEG11G

— Josh Worth (@JoshWorthh)

August 15, 2017

OMG best use of the #ARKit. At festivals, i spend half my time looking for my friends in the crowd… https://t.co/YPb0AfAFjn

— Julie Tonna (@julie_tonna)

August 15, 2017

Awesome! This would also be cool for something like @ingress / @PokemonGoApp. Ps: love that new iPhone design 😉

— Marcel (@marceldk)

August 15, 2017

OMG !!!!!!!! #Devslopes https://t.co/MzN5RKn1DI

— leonyuon (@leonyuonl)

August 15, 2017

This is amazing! https://t.co/ZrpQBEgaU3

— Shane Griffiths (@shanegriffiths)

August 15, 2017

i just cant stop getting excited by these ARKit demos 🌟 https://t.co/IXAM6N0VBf

— nikhil srinivasan 👾 (@nvs)

August 15, 2017

Just think how much more enjoyable festivals would have been if you weren’t constantly losing/looking for everyone. https://t.co/uzxNJMqI4c

— Neil Cooper (@ncooperdesign)

August 15, 2017

Future killer Jazz Fest/Mardi Gras app for iPhone. (and really every other large gathering where you wanna find your friends) https://t.co/RXkVrLOuQB

— Stephen Sullivan (@swgs)

August 15, 2017

💯 arkit is legit 💯 https://t.co/8h3gWtdMtE

— Sean PJPGR Doran (@spjpgrd)

August 15, 2017

Another cool use of #ARKit https://t.co/0QUrN4BgJF

— Matt Zarandi ⚡️ (@MattZarandi)

August 15, 2017

Now this is something genuinely useful for AR https://t.co/7CvykUc2SQ

— Joel (@joevo2)

August 16, 2017

#musthave https://t.co/4KIhkWghKD

— Gee 🔥 (@Georg_Schmo)

August 15, 2017

This would have come in so handy on many occasions. https://t.co/2jI7uQn1Lf

— Steven Lin (@Stevenchlin)

August 15, 2017

Another great usecase! https://t.co/T5ggr8Qyez

— Schlabbeschambes (@DerHurly)

August 15, 2017

AR is gonna be so cool https://t.co/qmlxshUk03

— Beans (@beano629)

August 15, 2017

This is pretty brilliant! https://t.co/TevMmjBLKE

— Vlad Vukicevic (@vvuk)

August 15, 2017

A 🔥use case here ⬇️ just amazing #ARKit https://t.co/elPyWbW4iO

— Glenville Morris (@glenvillemorris)

August 15, 2017

Now thats a smart techcombi https://t.co/wH8ECU7VxO

— thefirstfloor (@jeroenduhmooij)

August 15, 2017

We gonna be livin’ in 2025 real soon. https://t.co/RgXCAjdb2t

— David Bird (@David_Burns_Red)

August 15, 2017

here’s another super rad use case that would also work for finding your Lyft / Uber driver https://t.co/JVm3oqGrW9

— TIFFANY ZHONG (@TZhongg)

August 15, 2017

Great usage of ARKit! https://t.co/jJ1VDOX4zb

— Elliot Turner (@eturner303)

August 15, 2017

#ARKit (demo) with a practical concept to navigate space and impact social engagement #AR #interactivetech #socialAR https://t.co/2352xf9haz

— Melody Koebler (@melabyyte)

August 15, 2017

Well, that’s bloody awesome https://t.co/XvCLwNsqJB

— Neil Kleiner (@nkleiner)

August 15, 2017

Handy real-world application for #AR. Beats “we’re to the left of the stage” https://t.co/zoMbK4dUSm

— Jon Williams (@yesthatjon)

August 15, 2017

Now THIS is awesome › https://t.co/xP6LamQuua #ARKit

— Jermaine (@dviate)

August 15, 2017

Neat idea. Is it just me or does it feel like it wants a giant column of light like in an MMO or something? https://t.co/SM2dKw80wT

— Gabe Weiss (@GabeWeiss_)

August 15, 2017

Yes and yes! And not just for finding people you already know, opt-in real-time people discovery in the offline world has massive potential https://t.co/zsAQy0q55z

— Shuvi👩🏻‍💻 (@shuvi)

August 15, 2017

Find my friends on a whole new level #ARKit https://t.co/l53rkXr4PS

— Spencer Bratman (@SpencerBratman)

August 15, 2017

Eyyy this is what I’m talkin about—next to disrupt social media? https://t.co/eN2BSvYXNh

— Kenneth Ng (@KennethLNg)

August 16, 2017

Well this is awesomely handy. https://t.co/KmU4FJvErV

— Dan Z (@danactual)

August 16, 2017

Stop this is amazing!! https://t.co/ZcTy1iAlVt

— Daniel Feodoroff (@mrdanielfeo)

August 16, 2017

Clever! https://t.co/SnjqQD8gL9

— geoff brown (@cgeoffreybrown)

August 16, 2017

Looking forward to way more of this … https://t.co/Qdx0fMK3sh

— Neil Voss (@neilvoss)

August 16, 2017

Just watch this video, one of the best uses of AR I’ve seen https://t.co/OZFjwiIKLP

— Ben King (@kngbn79)

August 16, 2017

AR tinder is gonna be wicked

— Utkarsh Gupta (@u7karsh)

August 16, 2017

Now this is cool! #arkit #ar #AugmentedReality https://t.co/s7E4jkqkpN

— Jen Abel 💬💫 (@jjen_abel)

August 17, 2017

i’ve been waiting for an app like this for a while https://t.co/0uaEwKgtm9

— ✨🌵🦊 🌴✨ (@ryanrogalski)

August 17, 2017

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laossj

7 years ago

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laossj

7 years ago

Reinventing the Wheel

Planning a trip to the Moon? Mars? You’re going to need good tires…

Exploration requires mobility. And whether you’re on Earth or as far away as the Moon or Mars, you need good tires to get your vehicle from one place to another. Our decades-long work developing tires for space exploration has led to new game-changing designs and materials. Yes, we’re reinventing the wheel—here’s why.

Wheels on the Moon

Early tire designs were focused on moving hardware and astronauts across the lunar surface. The last NASA vehicle to visit the Moon was the Lunar Roving Vehicle during our Apollo missions. The vehicle used four large flexible wire mesh wheels with stiff inner frames. We used these Apollo era tires as the inspiration for new designs using newer materials and technology to better function on a lunar surface.

Up springs a new idea

During the mid-2000s, we worked with industry partner Goodyear to develop the Spring Tire, an airless compliant tire that consists of several hundred coiled steel wires woven into a flexible mesh, giving the tires the ability to support high loads while also conforming to the terrain. The Spring Tire has been proven to generate very good traction and durability in soft sand and on rocks.

Spring Tires for Mars

A little over a year after the Mars Curiosity Rover landed on Mars, engineers began to notice significant wheel damage in 2013 due to the unexpectedly harsh terrain. That’s when engineers began developing new Spring Tire prototypes to determine if they would be a new and better solution for exploration rovers on Mars.

In order for Spring Tires to go the distance on Martian terrain, new materials were required. Enter nickel titanium, a shape memory alloy with amazing capabilities that allow the tire to deform down to the axle and return to its original shape.

These tires can take a lickin’

After building the shape memory alloy tire, Glenn engineers sent it to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Mars Life Test Facility. It performed impressively on the punishing track.

Why reinvent the wheel? It’s worth it.

New, high performing tires would allow lunar and Mars rovers to explore greater regions of the surface than currently possible. They conform to the terrain and do not sink as much as rigid wheels, allowing them to carry heavier payloads for the same given mass and volume. Also, because they absorb energy from impacts at moderate to high speeds, there is potential for use on crewed exploration vehicles which are expected to move at speeds significantly higher than the current Mars rovers.

Airless tires on Earth

Maybe. Recently, engineers and materials scientists have been testing a spinoff tire version that would work on cars and trucks on Earth. Stay tuned as we continue to push the boundaries on traditional concepts for exploring our world and beyond.

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com.

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laossj

8 years ago

Sketch-RNN Demos

Project from Google’s AI Experiments is a collection of demos which can generate a doodle from a small input using neural networks:

This experiment lets you draw together with a recurrent neural network model called Sketch-RNN. We taught this neural net to draw by training it on millions of doodles collected from the Quick, Draw! game. Once you start drawing an object, Sketch-RNN will come up with many possible ways to continue drawing this object based on where you left off. The model can also mimic your drawings and produce similar doodles. It’s just another example of how you can use machine learning in fun and creative ways.

More Here

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laossj

7 years ago