Northrop Grumman [NOC] recently announced that it has completed the space-qualified, graphite composite tubes that will enable the giant sunshield of the James Webb Space Telescope to deploy in space. The company is leading the telescope’s design and development under contract to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
“This flight manufacturing milestone is significant for the development of the sunshield deployment systems,” said James Flynn, Webb telescope sunshield manager, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. “These are highly specialized, one-of-a kind structures. Completing them on schedule is a major step forward for the fabrication of the flight sunshield system.”
According to a press release, these recently completed tubes and a Stored Tubular Extendible Member (STEM) deployment mechanism make up what is called the Mid Boom Assembly. The telescoping graphite composite tubes are designed by Northrop Grumman Astro Aerospace and manufactured by Webb teammate ATK.