Team members watch as NIRSpec slots into place on ISIM, March 2014
Date: 24 March 2014
Satellite: JWST
Depicts: NIRSpec flight model
Copyright: NASA/Chris Gunn
This photo shows the team members carefully guiding the Near InfraRed Spectrograph (NIRSpec) into its new home position on the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM), in a cleanroom at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The approach is not a straight line, due to the already installed instruments, cable harnesses, struts and heat straps. NIRSpec mechanical engineers worked out the optimum path to avoid all these obstacles using CAD software. The instrument was then taken on this path – almost like a dance.
NIRSpec is one of four instruments on JWST. It is a multi-object spectrograph capable of observing at least 100 astronomical objects simultaneously. It will support JWST's four main science themes by providing low, medium and high-resolution spectroscopic observations.
NIRSpec is developed by ESA with Airbus Defence and Space, Germany, as the prime contractor. NIRSpec's Micro Shutter Assembly (MSA) and Focal Plane Assembly (FPA) are provided by NASA.
