JWST History: 2003

Working on the Detailed Design

As a result of selecting all major partners in 2002, JWST is going to a re-plan phase in order to bring the telescope design, the instrument designs and the science requirements in concord and to make the whole project fit within the budget constraints. A number of launch vehicle possibilities exist. ESA is willing to provide an Ariane V launch vehicle that would allow simplications in the primary mirror design. The effective area of the primary mirror was reduced to 25 square meters (down from the 29.4 in the original TRW proposal. TRW has in the mean time been merged with Northrop Grumman and become Northrop Grumman Space Technology, NGST!). The number of segments is reduced from 36 to 18.

August

JWST is officially moving from Phase A (preliminary design studies) to Phase B. In this Phase a detailed JWST design will be developed and procurement will start for some long lead items like the mirror segments.

September

NASA selects the beryllium-based mirror technology for the telescope's 6.5-meter primary mirror. The JWST prime contractor, Northrop Grumman, recommended to NASA the mirror technology, supplied by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation, be selected for the JWST primary mirror. The production of the beryllium-based mirrors will begin within the next year. (Press release)