Tower stowed ✅
Lens cap removed ✅
Sunshield pallets stowed ✅
3 more testing milestones have been completed for #NASAWebb! The world’s most complex & powerful space telescope is making big progress for its launch & million-mile journey later this year. go.nasa.gov/3ihiquc
Lens cap removed ✅
Sunshield pallets stowed ✅
3 more testing milestones have been completed for #NASAWebb! The world’s most complex & powerful space telescope is making big progress for its launch & million-mile journey later this year. go.nasa.gov/3ihiquc
1. The tower is a pipe structure that helps Webb maintain operating temperatures by separating its cold optics from its warm spacecraft bus. Fully extended, the tower reaches 10 ft in length! Recently tested for the last time, it is now lowered & locked into place for launch.
2. Here, a @BallAerospace technician carefully removes Webb’s "lens cap," which has kept the observatory’s instruments protected and contaminant-free. With launch approaching, removing this cover gives engineers additional freedom in packing up the rest of the observatory.
3. Webb’s tennis court-sized sunshield is supported by its pallet structures, which can be seen partially lifted here. Now that Webb’s lens cap has been removed, engineers were able to finish the process of folding these pallets up into their final configuration for launch.
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