Page 7 - Spec Tech Vol 1 Issue 03

Image Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

A transmission spectrum of the hot gas giant exoplanet WASP-39 b captured by Webb’s
Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) July 10, 2022, reveals the first clear evidence for carbon
dioxide in a planet outside the solar system. This is also the first detailed exoplanet transmission
spectrum ever captured that covers wavelengths between 3 and 5.5 microns.

Assembly of the James Webb Space

Telescope

Critical lift operations involving flight
instruments require patience,
precision, and many pairs of eyes.
This photo shows a number of them
who are all involved in the opera-
tions of the Fine Guidance Sensor/
Near InfraRed Imager and Slitless
Spectrograph (FGS/NIRISS). Photo
taken on August 7, 2012.
The first six flight-ready James A technician examines the backplane
Webb Space Telescope's primary pathfinder – a flight-like model of the
mirror segments at NASA's center section of the Webb telescope
Marshall Space Flight Center. backplane used to practice assembly
Engineers began final and integration before the flight
round-the-clock cryogenic testing hardware is done. The grey fixture on
on the mirrors before integrating top of the backplane is the backplane
them into the telescope's support fixture. Photo taken on April
structure. 30, 2012.

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