1 00:00:13,290 --> 00:00:16,530 Mary Estacion/Reporter: The primary mirror on the Webb telescope will have a diameter 2 00:00:16,530 --> 00:00:18,880 of more than 21 feet. 3 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:20,700 That's 4 times my height. 4 00:00:20,700 --> 00:00:25,150 Now that's too big to fit into a rocket so engineers have had to design a structure that 5 00:00:25,150 --> 00:00:30,770 will not only hold all 18 segments of the primary mirror in place, but also fold up 6 00:00:30,770 --> 00:00:32,189 during launch. 7 00:00:32,189 --> 00:00:36,940 That's why we've come to ATK in Magna, Utah where they're building the wings of the backplane. 8 00:00:36,940 --> 00:00:41,180 Brian Jahne (Lead Design Engineer/ ATK): There's three deliverables that ATK provides. 9 00:00:41,180 --> 00:00:45,750 There's a left hand side wing, a right hand side wing and then a large center section 10 00:00:45,750 --> 00:00:46,750 portion. 11 00:00:46,750 --> 00:00:49,620 This design right here shows the wings in the deployed condition. 12 00:00:49,620 --> 00:00:53,870 When it's on top of the spacecraft prior to launch, they're folded back. 13 00:00:53,870 --> 00:00:56,830 There's 4 launch locks on the outboard corners of the wings. 14 00:00:56,830 --> 00:00:57,830 Mary: Ooo... 15 00:00:57,830 --> 00:00:58,830 what's a launch lock? 16 00:00:58,830 --> 00:01:03,890 Brian: A launch lock is what is used to hold the wing in its tight packed position. 17 00:01:03,890 --> 00:01:06,410 Mary: Oh, okay, so it keeps it in place during the launch. 18 00:01:06,410 --> 00:01:07,410 Brian: That's right. 19 00:01:07,410 --> 00:01:11,810 So, once it's out through the launch environment, the launch locks are released, the mirror 20 00:01:11,810 --> 00:01:13,409 can be deployed into the final position. 21 00:01:13,409 --> 00:01:16,920 Mary: So how far along are you in making these wings? 22 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:19,310 Brian: We've very far along actually. 23 00:01:19,310 --> 00:01:23,560 You can go out and see the progress in the clean room with Ed Graul. 24 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:27,550 He'll take you on a little tour of the manufacturing facility and show you the wings. 25 00:01:27,550 --> 00:01:28,830 Mary: Hey Ed. 26 00:01:28,830 --> 00:01:33,030 Brian just showed us the computer models of the backplane but he said that the wings of 27 00:01:33,030 --> 00:01:35,090 the backplane are actually almost done. 28 00:01:35,090 --> 00:01:36,630 Ed Graul (Manufacturing IPT Lead /ATK): That's really true. 29 00:01:36,630 --> 00:01:41,540 We've been quite a while on the wings and we're very close to having them being completed. 30 00:01:41,540 --> 00:01:45,000 You can see them working on them here in the background. 31 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:50,000 Each of these wings goes on center section of the support structure. 32 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:53,390 Each of the wings holds three of the mirror segments. 33 00:01:53,390 --> 00:01:55,010 Then they will fold up during launch. 34 00:01:55,010 --> 00:01:56,820 Mary: Any chance we can sneak in there? 35 00:01:56,820 --> 00:01:58,730 Ed: Well, I would love to show you. 36 00:01:58,730 --> 00:02:03,460 Let's get our clean garb on and we will be able to go in and have a closer look. 37 00:02:03,460 --> 00:02:04,460 Mary: Sounds good! 38 00:02:04,460 --> 00:02:06,720 Mary: So what are these guys doing now? 39 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:13,510 Ed: They are bonding together different pieces that will make up the overall assembled structure. 40 00:02:13,510 --> 00:02:20,490 The thickness of the adhesive they are currently injecting in at very specific points has to 41 00:02:20,490 --> 00:02:25,549 be held very precisely because if there's too much adhesive, it'll want to pull itself 42 00:02:25,549 --> 00:02:28,040 apart at very cold temperatures. 43 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:32,889 If there's too little adhesive, then it won't be able to withstand the forces of launch. 44 00:02:32,889 --> 00:02:34,959 Ed: Let's come around to the far side... 45 00:02:34,959 --> 00:02:37,409 Mary: Ok Ed: Now these wings... you can see first, 46 00:02:37,409 --> 00:02:41,230 as you look at it.. that the wings are not flat. 47 00:02:41,230 --> 00:02:46,989 They have a curve shape and that curved shape matches the parabolic shape of the overall 48 00:02:46,989 --> 00:02:47,989 mirror. 49 00:02:47,989 --> 00:02:51,299 Mary: So visually, each of the primary mirror segments would be facing down right now as 50 00:02:51,299 --> 00:02:53,680 opposed to be right on top here. 51 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:55,040 Ed: That is correct. 52 00:02:55,040 --> 00:03:01,780 And you can see all along as you're in closer, that we have additional sheer panels that 53 00:03:01,780 --> 00:03:06,049 distribute and balance the loads that are experienced during launch. 54 00:03:06,049 --> 00:03:07,049 Mary: Great! 55 00:03:07,049 --> 00:03:09,969 Well, thank you so much for showing us the wings of the backplane. 56 00:03:09,969 --> 00:03:12,079 Ed: It's certainly my pleasure. 57 00:03:12,079 --> 00:03:13,459 Thank you for being here today. 58 00:03:13,459 --> 00:03:19,010 Mary: As you can see the backplane and its wings have to be very very strong because 59 00:03:19,010 --> 00:03:24,120 the mirror segments collectively weigh about three quarters of a ton.