Integrated Science Instrument Module

ISIM inside a cage for a gravity test, 2014
ISIM being prepared for a thermal vacuum test, 2013
NIRcam being installed in ISIM, 2014
MIRI installed, 2013

Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) is a component of the James Webb Space Telescope, a large international infrared space telescope planned for launch in 2018.[1] ISIM is the heart of the JWST, and holds the main science payload which includes four science instruments and the fine guidance sensor.[1] ISIM is the spacecraft chassis and instruments that take the light from the main mirror and and convert that into the science data that is then sent back to Earth.[1] The other two major sections of the JWST are the Optical Telescope Element (OTE) (mirror and their structure) and the Spacecraft Element (SE), which includes the Spacecraft Bus and Sunshield.[1]ISIM has a mass of 1.4 metric tons (tonnes) (1.54 US tons).[2] The infrared camera instrument integreated with ISIM, passed its thermal tests as part of ISIM in early 2016.[3] ISIM underwent intense thermal cold testing in late 2015 to early 2016.[4] NIRcam is extremely important to JWST, because its not only a sensitive infrared camera, but it is also used to adjust the alignment of the main mirror segments.[5] The tests were very positive because NIRcam showed was very stable through vibration and thermal testing.[6] NIRcam was installed into ISIM in March 2014, and then uderwent integartion and testing after that, as the telescope is readied for its 2018 launch.[7] THe ISIM is about 23% of the overall mass of JWST, which equates to an ISIM mass of 1400 kg according to EOPportal.[8]

ISIM contains these instruments:[1]

Relevant systems and subsytems the ISIM:[9]

Three regions to ISIM were defined by NASA to aid in its production.[1] The three regions include the cryogenic instrument module (1), the electronics compartment, and finally the Command and Data Handling subsystem and MIRI crycooler(3), which is inside the spacecraft bus physically.[1] MIRI needs to be colder than the other instruments so it has an additional cooler.[1] MIRI is the mid-infrared instrument.[1] The Command and Data Handling subsystem uses the in-spaceship communication standard called SpaceWire.[10] SpireWire was jointly developed by the ESA and NASA, and includes a low-power microchip that can send data at 200 mbits per second.[11]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ [http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/news/press-releases/2016/april/nircam-space-telescope.html
  4. ↑
  5. ↑
  6. ↑
  7. ↑
  8. ↑ eoPortal - JWST (James Webb Space Telescope)
  9. ↑
  10. ↑
  11. ↑

External links

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