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arXiv · 2307.11179

A Year of Wavefront Sensing with JWST in Flight: Cycle 1 Telescope Monitoring and Maintenance Summary

Charles-Philippe Lajoie·Matthew Lallo·Marcio Meléndez·Nicolas Flagey·Randal Telfer·Thomas M. Comeau·Bernard A. Kulp·Tracy Beck·Gregory R. Brady·Marshall D. Perrin
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Abstract

We summarize JWST's measured telescope performance across science Cycle 1. The stability of segments alignments is typically better than 10 nanometers RMS between measurements every two days, leading to highly stable point spread functions. The frequency of segment "tilt events" decreased significantly, and larger tilt events ceased entirely, as structures gradually equilibrated after cooldown. Mirror corrections every 1-2 months now maintain the telescope below 70 nm RMS wavefront error. Observed micrometeoroid impacts during cycle 1 had negligible effect on science performance, consistent with preflight predictions. As JWST begins Cycle 2, its optical performance and stability are equal to, and in some ways better than, the performance reported at the end of commissioning.

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Charles-Philippe Lajoie, Matthew Lallo, Marcio Meléndez, Nicolas Flagey, Randal Telfer, Thomas M. Comeau, Bernard A. Kulp, Tracy Beck, Gregory R. Brady, Marshall D. Perrin. 2023-07-20. A Year of Wavefront Sensing with JWST in Flight: Cycle 1 Telescope Monitoring and Maintenance Summary. https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.11179

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