The James Webb Telescope can track targets that are moving at over 100ms/s - 223% faster than planned

The James Webb Space Observatory has proven its ability to observe space objects, speed

which is more than three times the maximum tracking speed. The collision of the DART probe with an asteroid last year helped confirm this.

What is known

James Webb watched the cosmicthe device flew into the asteroid to change the trajectory of the latter. It was assumed that the telescope could not track objects that have such a high angular velocity. But it turned out that it could.

To do this, on board the space telescopea fine guidance sensor (FGS) is installed. It fixes a fixed star and moves it at a speed that matches the speed of the tracked object. The process is performed until the star disappears from the field of view of the sensor. This happens quickly, which makes it very difficult to observe.

"On paper" James Webb can track targets,which move with the angular velocity of Mars - 30 ms / s (arc milliseconds per second). However, through experiments, scientists have proven that the telescope can observe objects that move at speeds up to 67 ms / s.

But to fix the collision of DART with an asteroidthis was not enough. To follow the space accident, it was necessary to overcome the bar of 100 ms / s (360 min / h). To test the system, scientists first used a simulator, after which they tested the capabilities of the telescope on asteroid 2010 DF1. As a result, James Webb managed 324 and 396 rpm.

Despite success, scientists do not planuse the space observatory in this mode. James Webb will track objects with a maximum angular velocity of 75 ms/s, with the ability to increase to 100 ms/s.

Source: NASA