15 min listen
Mike Menzel on NASA's JWST Launch
FromCarry the Two
ratings:
Length:
32 minutes
Released:
Jan 3, 2023
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
Imagine trying to unfold 5 layered, thin metallic sheets, each the size of a tennis court without tearing or snagging the material. Now imagine doing it in the vacuum of space, at a distance much farther than the moon, and that a multimillion dollar project relies on your success. That provides a bit of perspective for the massive undertaking that was the James Webb Space Telescope (or JWST).
In this episode of Carry the Two, we hear from NASA lead systems engineer, Mike Menzel, all about designing and testing the solar shield for JWST.
Find our transcript here: LINK
Curious to learn more? Check out these additional links:
JWST’s orbit: https://jwst.nasa.gov/content/about/orbit.html
General physics of the JWST: https://www.wired.com/story/the-physics-of-the-james-webb-space-telescope/
Video of JWST unfolding (referenced in the episode): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg-YI0T-4Mk
Coordinating the 18 mirrors: https://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/starsgalaxies/wavefront.html
What is a Lagrange point: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/resources/754/what-is-a-lagrange-point/
Why hexagons are a great shape (for telescope mirrors & other uses): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thOifuHs6eY
Controversy surrounding the name of JWST: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/19/us/james-webb-telescope-gay-rights.html
JWST’s images of Neptune: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2022/new-webb-image-captures-clearest-view-of-neptune-s-rings-in-decades
Follow more of IMSI’s work: www.IMSI.institute, (twitter) @IMSI_institute, (mastodon) https://sciencemastodon.com/@IMSI, (instagram) IMSI.institute
Follow Mike Menzel: https://webb.nasa.gov/content/meetTheTeam/people/menzel.html
This episode was audio engineered by Tyler Damme.
Music by Blue Dot Sessions & original score for Star Trek by Alexander Courage.
Sound effect by beetpro at pixabay.
The Institute for Mathematical and Statistical Innovation (IMSI) is funded by NSF grant DMS-1929348.
In this episode of Carry the Two, we hear from NASA lead systems engineer, Mike Menzel, all about designing and testing the solar shield for JWST.
Find our transcript here: LINK
Curious to learn more? Check out these additional links:
JWST’s orbit: https://jwst.nasa.gov/content/about/orbit.html
General physics of the JWST: https://www.wired.com/story/the-physics-of-the-james-webb-space-telescope/
Video of JWST unfolding (referenced in the episode): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg-YI0T-4Mk
Coordinating the 18 mirrors: https://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/starsgalaxies/wavefront.html
What is a Lagrange point: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/resources/754/what-is-a-lagrange-point/
Why hexagons are a great shape (for telescope mirrors & other uses): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thOifuHs6eY
Controversy surrounding the name of JWST: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/19/us/james-webb-telescope-gay-rights.html
JWST’s images of Neptune: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2022/new-webb-image-captures-clearest-view-of-neptune-s-rings-in-decades
Follow more of IMSI’s work: www.IMSI.institute, (twitter) @IMSI_institute, (mastodon) https://sciencemastodon.com/@IMSI, (instagram) IMSI.institute
Follow Mike Menzel: https://webb.nasa.gov/content/meetTheTeam/people/menzel.html
This episode was audio engineered by Tyler Damme.
Music by Blue Dot Sessions & original score for Star Trek by Alexander Courage.
Sound effect by beetpro at pixabay.
The Institute for Mathematical and Statistical Innovation (IMSI) is funded by NSF grant DMS-1929348.
Released:
Jan 3, 2023
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (26)
Tiffany Christian on Wetland Monitoring: Wetlands like the marshes located just outside the city of New Orleans, LA are often overlooked, but these ecosystems provide many vital services. Wetlands, like all ecosystems, are under threat by climate change and particularly the increased tropical storms and hurricanes that tear across our coasts. So how can we monitor vast areas of wetlands to check their health, year after year? Statistician-in-Residence Tiffany Christian explains how researchers can remotely monitor wetland health and spot disruption of annual growth cycles. Find our transcript here: LINK Curious to learn more? Check out these additional links: Review of storm effects on wetlands: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1872203215000657#:~:text=Impacts%20of%20tropical%20storms%20on%20wetland%20landscape%20changes,change%20wetland%20morphology%20and%20elevation Using remote sensing to detect changes in wetlands growing season: https://www.sciencedirect.com/ by Carry the Two