In just a few hours we'll see the first deep space image taken by the Webb telescope. While we wait, discover the small but potentially impactful threat that Webb's engineers are keeping an eye on...
The mission team “invested a great deal of effort 20 years ago, to try to get their meteoroid environment right”, says Bill Cooke, head of NASA’s meteoroid environment office at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
Micrometeoroids are created by collisions between asteroids and other planetary bodies. The particles are usually as small as a few tens of micrometres across — the size of sand grains — but could be as big as a bus. The Sun’s gravity pulls particles towards it, so dust generally flows from the outer regions of the Solar System towards the inner parts.Even tiny particles can cause physical damage to spacecraft when they hit as fast as a speeding bullet — the velocities reached in space.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Surprising dust strike on Webb telescope has scientists on alertWeeks after being hit by a micrometeoroid, the landmark observatory prepares to release its first scientific images.
Read more »
President Biden will reveal the first James Webb Space Telescope image at 5PM today | EngadgetNASA has decided to reveal the first James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) image today rather than waiting until tomorrow as planned..
Read more »
Biden to reveal first James Webb Telescope image today, here's what to expectThe telescope's new images will show stars forming, distant galaxies locked in a cosmic dance, and some of the universe's very first light.
Read more »
Watch President Biden unveil the 1st James Webb Space Telescope science image today!The last-minute reveal will come less than 24 hours before the main image release on Tuesday, July 12.
Read more »