The James Webb Space Telescopes Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) reached its ideal temperature on Apr. 7. The instrument operates at temperatures approaching absolute zero, or -447°F (-266.1°C), and can observe wavelengths longer than human eyes can see in the mid-infrared area of the electromagnetic spectrum.
MIRI is one of four scientific instruments on the James Webb Orbit Telescope, also known as Webb. Webb is the biggest and most powerful telescope ever launched into orbit.
MIRI was the last instrument to attain this significant milestone since it runs at a lower temperature than the other instruments, at 7 kelvin (-266 degrees Celsius).
MIRI required to be actively chilled by a cryogenic refrigerator, or cryocooler, to reach this temperature.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) designed the cryocooler, whereas the Science and Technology Facilities Council's (STFC) RAL Space in the U.K. was in charge of overall instrument thermal engineering.
"Everything we needed to achieve was written down and practiced, kind of like a movie script., and when the test data started rolling in, I was overjoyed to see that it seemed exactly as planned and that the instrument was in good working order." said Mike Ressler, project scientist for MIRI at JPL, in a statement.
The temperature historic moment is an important step in Webb's six-month commissioning process to align its mirrors and prepare its instruments for deep-space investigations. As the telescope cools, adjustments must be made on a regular basis, as the components may act or align differently as the temperature drops. But, so far, Webb's commissioning has gone off without a hitch.
"I am proud to be a part of this group of highly motivated, enthusiastic scientists and engineers from Europe and the U.S.," Alistair Glasse, MIRI instrument scientist at the UK ATC in Edinburgh, Scotland, said. "This is our 'trial by fire,' but it's clear to me that the personal bonds and mutual respect that we've built up over the years will see us for the next few months and deliver a wonderful instrument to the global astronomy community."
MIRI was developed in collaboration with Nasa by a European team led by the U.K Components were sent in from all around Europe and the U.S. to be constructed and tested in the U.K. before being shipped to the U.S. for incorporation into the telescope.
In the late 1990s, conceptual investigations for what would become MIRI began. It's almost time to start visualizing and analyzing the Universe.
