Software coordinates 19 mirrors, focuses James Webb Space Telescope

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Through a process called Wavefront Sensing and Control or WFSC software aboard the observatory will compute the optimum position of each of the 18 primary mirrors and the one secondary mirror and then adjust the positions if necessary. Shown is a 16 ...
Through a process called "Wavefront Sensing and Control," or WFSC, software aboard the observatory will compute the optimum position of each of the 18 primary mirrors and the one secondary mirror, and then adjust the positions, if necessary. Shown is a 1/6 model of the JWST mirrors that is used to test WFSC. Credit: NASA/Northrop Grumman/Ball Aerospace

Scientists and engineers have created and successfully tested a set of algorithms and software programs which are designed to enable the 19 individual mirrors comprising NASA's powerful James Webb Space Telescope to function as one very sensitive telescope.


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