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We are very likely to see first images much sooner than that. Although first science needs to wait for full cooling and alignment, they will be producing images

We are very likely to see first images much sooner than that. Although first science needs to wait for full cooling and alignment, they will be producing images during that process. The expectation is that some of these images will be published, mostly for PR.

usrusr 5y ago
Almost sounds like a too good to be true excuse for strolling off chasing pretty views with the new toy ;).
- doogerdog 5y ago
  The scope can’t image anything at all right now, and it will be quite a while before it can. Each mirror segment was firmly supported to withstand the violent forces at launch. In the past few days, the two 3-segment wings swung into position and every mirror segment moved slightly so that now they can be aimed by their actuators. Each segment has actuators on the perimeter that will fine tune the pointing and one in the center that can deform it slightly to change focus. Each one will now need to be fine tuned. There are also many adjustments to be done in the secondary optics. Inevitably, surprises will crop up as well and have to be dealt with. They do this quietly now for PR reasons. While the Hubble was being commissioned, some engineers talked freely about the things they were dealing with. At first it was very interesting to follow along. But once it was determined that the primary trouble was misconfiguration of the objective, all the chatter stopped. Since then all space missions tightly control their press. This is understandable but makes it a little less fun to follow along. The good news is that most of the single use motors and actuators have done their thing and and are now retired. The ones that remain (like the mirror pointers) are based on designs that have worked many years on many spacecrafts. It is great to see the project get to this stage. I can’t wait to read about what we find out there.
  - usrusr 5y ago
    Thanks, now I'm looking forward to the inevitable (even more) pop-sci explanation: "imagine waking up double-vision drunk, but instead of two eyes going astray it's eighteen eyes. And it all happens while you know for a fact that you won't be able to tell up from down anytime soon"
ihattendorf 5y ago
IIRC the plan is to wait until everything is calibrated and tested before releasing any images, to allow the first public images to "wow" everyone.
- jacquesm 5y ago
  From a PR perspective that would not be very smart. Everbody wants to know that it works in principle and if the images that it can make today are not quite as good as the ones that it will make six months from now that gives more points in time to make the public aware of what the telescope can do and what an amazing achievement it is. I fully expect NASA to release a 'first light' image in the near future and if they do not I'll be sorely disappointed.

usrusr 5y ago

Almost sounds like a too good to be true excuse for strolling off chasing pretty views with the new toy ;).

doogerdog 5y ago
The scope can’t image anything at all right now, and it will be quite a while before it can. Each mirror segment was firmly supported to withstand the violent forces at launch. In the past few days, the two 3-segment wings swung into position and every mirror segment moved slightly so that now they can be aimed by their actuators. Each segment has actuators on the perimeter that will fine tune the pointing and one in the center that can deform it slightly to change focus. Each one will now need to be fine tuned. There are also many adjustments to be done in the secondary optics. Inevitably, surprises will crop up as well and have to be dealt with. They do this quietly now for PR reasons. While the Hubble was being commissioned, some engineers talked freely about the things they were dealing with. At first it was very interesting to follow along. But once it was determined that the primary trouble was misconfiguration of the objective, all the chatter stopped. Since then all space missions tightly control their press. This is understandable but makes it a little less fun to follow along. The good news is that most of the single use motors and actuators have done their thing and and are now retired. The ones that remain (like the mirror pointers) are based on designs that have worked many years on many spacecrafts. It is great to see the project get to this stage. I can’t wait to read about what we find out there.
- usrusr 5y ago
  Thanks, now I'm looking forward to the inevitable (even more) pop-sci explanation: "imagine waking up double-vision drunk, but instead of two eyes going astray it's eighteen eyes. And it all happens while you know for a fact that you won't be able to tell up from down anytime soon"

ihattendorf 5y ago

IIRC the plan is to wait until everything is calibrated and tested before releasing any images, to allow the first public images to "wow" everyone.

jacquesm 5y ago
From a PR perspective that would not be very smart. Everbody wants to know that it works in principle and if the images that it can make today are not quite as good as the ones that it will make six months from now that gives more points in time to make the public aware of what the telescope can do and what an amazing achievement it is. I fully expect NASA to release a 'first light' image in the near future and if they do not I'll be sorely disappointed.