ESA Science & Technology - James Webb Space Telescope at Northrop Grumman

Engineers pose for a team photo in front of the James Webb Space Telescope's optical telescope and integrated science instrument module (OTIS), after its delivery to Northrop Grumman in Redondo Beach, California. Only 12 out of the 18 primary mirror segments can be seen in this view: during transport, the two outer "wings" of the telescope, each comprising 3 mirror segments, are folded backward in order to fit inside the transporter.

This will also be the configuration of the telescope during launch, in order to fir in the Ariane 5 rocket fairing. The wings are then unfolded as part of the complex JWST deployment sequence once the observatory is in space and about to reach its operational orbit.