James Webb telescope layers up for the sun

The five sunshield layers that will protect the James Webb Space Telescope’s (JWST) optics and instruments have been installed.

Designed by Northrop Grumman, the shield will prevent background heat from the Sun, Earth and Moon from interfering with the telescope’s infrared sensors. Each of the five layers, which are made of Kapton, is roughly the size of a tennis court. Together they will help reduce the temperature between the hot and cold sides of the space observatory by around 300 degrees Celsius, with each layer cooler than the one below.

The JWST is the successor to the Hubble telescope. It will use infrared imaging to observe distant objects in the universe, provide images of the first galaxies formed and see unexplored planets around distant stars. Due to launch on an Ariane 5 rocket in October 2018, the mission is a collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.