Engineers watch strain gauge data intently as NIRSpec slots into place on ISIM, March 2014
Date: 24 March 2014
Satellite: JWST
Copyright: NASA/Chris Gunn
ESA and Airbus engineers watch the real time strain gauge data while the Near InfraRed Spectrograph (NIRSpec) is being mated to the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM). This data indicate whether the NIRSpec kinematic mount stress levels are within acceptable limits.
From left to right:
Maurice te Plate (ESA JWST System Integration and Test Manager)
Delphine Jollet (ESA mechanical system engineer)
Ralf Ehrenwinkler (Airbus, NIRSpec Assembly, Integration and Test Lead)
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.
