Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) Colloquium

This presentation examines the behind-the-scenes details of the creation of the heart of the JWST Observatory, it’s mirrors. We overcame many technical challenges, including “Micro-Yield”, pitting and “edge-relief”; not to mention that the particles we created in our grinding and polishing were toxic! The resulting mirror segments exceeded their stringent requirements and represented what we like to call, “the heart” of the world’s greatest of all space observatories. The images and scientific data from the Webb are being revealed at an exciting pace and have “set the astronomical world on it’s ear”, challenging even the most fundamental theories, like the “Hubble Constant” and even the “Big Bang!” This story cannot be found anywhere else, enjoy.