Want to print in 3 dimensions?

• The process is similar to an inkjet printer, however, the "ink" is powder and a bonding agent.

 

•  Printing in layers, the machine builds up the object in three dimensions.

 Some of the gadgets engineers come up with are just cool. We’re going to check out one of them. Printing in three-dimensions. Today, on Engineering Works!

 
Most of us have home computers these days, and they’re all connected to desktop printers. Hit the print key and out comes that report you needed for work or a barbecue sauce recipe from the web. Easy.

 
That was then. "Now, a new kind of printer is taking printing into three-dimensions, not just flat on a piece of paper. These printers print out solid objects, usually in plastic. There aren’t many of the printers around yet. Technology geeks and hobbyists own most of them. They use them to make stuff like jewelry, toys, tools or kitchen appliances."

Tonight Show host and classic car collector Jay Leno even has one. His mechanics use it to print out car parts that they can’t buy any longer. They send the plastic models to machine shops to get real metal parts made, cheaper and faster than custom-designed parts.

 
The 3-D printers are starting to catch on. You can buy them in some electronics stores or directly from the manufacturers. Prices run from $750 for a desktop kit model to $27,000 for Leno’s refrigerator-sized unit. So far, it’s definitely a niche device, but enthusiasts are sure that someday we’ll be printing out things we need, not just fun stuff.

 
We can’t print out a ride home, but we’re still done. See you next time.

Engineering Works! is made possible by Texas A&M Engineering and produced by KAMU-FM in College Station. Learn more about engineering. Visit us on the World Wide Web. http://engineeringworks.tamu.edu    

Vulture - Unmanned Aircraft

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) of United States is working to develop an unmanned aircraft that is able to stay in air for a period of 5 years at a time. It is one of the most recent inventions of world.

Officials of DARPA has revealed that this aircraft will be known as VULTURE due to itsPersistent Pseudo-Satellite Capability . It means that this aircraft will be able to fly over a single area, communicating or performing analysis for years at a time.

Major Obstacles in Project:

Even this project looks appealing to many of you, but there are some serious problems or you can say obstacles in achieving this project.

1) First challenge in front of designers is to figure out some Way to Supply Power to this aircraft during long missions.

2) Another problem is that this aircraft will carry a 1000 pound (450 kg) payload in winds at an altitude of 60,000 to 90,000 feet.

3) Designers have also to sort out the problems regarding Deterioration of Materialsduring their long-time exposure to stratospheric flight.
In addition to this there may be many challenges during designing of this aircraft.

Daniel Newman: The Man Behind VULTURE

Daniel Newman is the Project Manger of this ambitious project of NASA. In his words: "We want to completely change the paradigm of how we think of aircraft. Aviation has a perfect record - we've never left one up there. We will attempt to break that record". It looks that its time to get out of the traditional "launch - recover - maintain - launch cycle of aircrafts."

Concept Behind Vulture:

Basically Aircrafts operates just like satellites, but the major difference is that these are not regulated by orbital mechanics. You can understand Vulture as a Pseudo-Satellite, which operates in the stratosphere and not in the low Earth orbit. This would provide a 65 dB upgrading in communications capability and will increase onboard sensor resolution.

Next after 3G: 4G Technology

Fourth Generation (4G) mobiles

4G also called as Fourth-Generation Communications System, is a term used to describe the next step in wireless communications. A 4G system can provide a comprehensive IP solution where voice, data and streamed multimedia can be provided to users on an "Anytime, Anywhere" basis. The data transfer rates are also much higher than previous generations.

The main objectives of 4G are:

1)4G will be a fully IP-based integrated system.

2)This will be capable of providing 100 Mbit/s and 1 Gbit/s speeds both indoors and outdoors.

3)It can provide premium quality and high security.

4)4G offer all types of services at an affordable cost.

4G is developed to provide high quality of service (QoS) and rate requirements set by forthcoming applications such as wireless broadband access, Multimedia Messaging, Video Chat, Mobile TV, High definition TV content, DVB, minimal service like voice and data, and other streaming services.

4G technology allow high-quality smooth video transmission. It will enable fast downloading of full-length songs or music pieces in real time.

The business and popularity of 4Gmobiles is predicted to be very vast. On an average, by 2009, this 4Gmobile market will be over $400B and it will dominate the wireless communications, and its converged system will replace most conventional wireless infrastructure.

Data Rates For 4G:

The downloading speed for mobile Internet connections is from 9.6 kbit/s for 2G cellular at present. However, in actual use the data rates are usually slower, especially in crowded areas, or when there is congestion in network.

4G mobile data transmission rates are planned to be up to 20 megabits per second which means that it will be about 10-20 times faster than standard ASDL services.

In terms of connection seeds, 4G will be about 200 times faster than present 2G mobile data rates, and about 10 times faster than 3G broadband mobile. 3G data rates are currently 2Mbit/sec, which is very fast compared to 2G's 9.6Kbit/sec.

new phone with new technology: HTC Touch Pro 2

With every new product that HTC launches in the market, it is increasing its stronghold in the market of phones. HTC has always catered to a large client base and there is a phone for every kind of user, from the Multimedia to the Business, you name it and they have it. Well unveiling the latest in this series is the HTC Touch Pro2. Well all of us remember when HTC took the market with a storm when the HTC touch procame out. Well the HTC Touch Pro2 has had a better response. The philosophy behind the product is that business is based on communication and this power packed device has more than just the goods to give the right boost to your business.

It has the much useful QWERTY keyboard that slides out and has spacious keys, the screen can be tilted to the right degree in order to provide you the clearest viewing experience, the screen is touch sensitive and 3.6 inch diagonally, and other features like zoom bar to zoom in and zoom out of pictures with efficiency and ease. Like the other phones, this one too has the Windows Mobile Platform and weighs less than 180 grams including the battery. It is just the phone you had been waiting for.

In some luxurious cars: DRIVING BY WIRE!

Some luxury cars have as many as 100 devices or operations

controlled by a microprocessor. 

• •  Many cars have more lines of code than a jet fighter plane.
  But computer problems are giving car companies like Toyota a run for their money.

  If you haven’t been following Toyota’s troubles with the computers that help make its cars go, here’s a little background. Computers on wheels. Today, on Engineering Works! Listen to the podcast.

Computers and cars have been rolling along together for quite a while now. Henry Ford wouldn’t know what to think.

The first computer control unit in a production automobile seems to be one in a 1977 Oldsmobile Toronado that controlled spark plug timing in the engine. In 1978, the Cadillac Seville had a trip computer controlled by a computer chip. By 1980, electronic control units operated exhaust emission control system in several cars.

These days, microprocessor-controlled devices, or electronic control units, keep track of and operate all sorts of things. Acceleration and braking, the features that bedevil Toyota. Brakes, cruise control, engine valve timing, anti-skip brakes, traction control, door locks.

Tiny tanks of sugar and oxygen could power devices in space.

It’s not just high-end vehicles. Even basic econoboxes usually have at least 30 of them. Some luxury cars have as many as 100. And these are not simple little chips. Many of the cars and trucks we drive have at least 100-million lines of computer code on board. That’s more than many jet fighter planes.

Using computers to help operate the vehicle makes sense. They can process information from sensors in vehicle operating systems almost instantaneously and act on it much faster than human drivers can. But when something goes wrong, sometimes it’s really wrong.

news about apple: Apple bows to pressure, makes nice with developers

Apple's battle with developers might be heading toward a truce.

The company plans to allow developers to create applications with just about any tool they want. It will also publish its App Store Review Guidelines.

The changes could also mark a shift in Apple's contentious relationships with both Google and Adobe Systems.

Saying that it has "taken [developer] feedback to heart," Apple has decided to relax "restrictions we put in place earlier this year" on the company's iOS Developer Program license. Going forward, developers can use any development tool they want to build iOS apps, "as long as the resulting apps do not download any code."

In a statement issued Thursday morning, Apple explicitly mentions that the changed portions of its developer license are sections 3.3.1, 3.3.2, and 3.3.9. Section 3.3.1 said prior to the change that "applications may only use documented APIs in the manner prescribed by Apple and must not use or call any private APIs." It also required all apps to be originally written in Objective-C, C, C++, or JavaScript, dealing a blow to Adobe's Creative Suite 5 platform.

Section 3.3.2 required that no application "launch other executable code by any means, including without limitation through the use of a plug-in architecture, calling other frameworks, other APIs, or otherwise."

Section 3.3.9 put the squeeze on Google's AdMob by limiting an application's ability to "collect, use, or disclose to any third party, user or device data without prior user consent." Advertisers could share user data only if "the collection, use or disclosure is for the purpose of serving advertising to your application."

In addition, Apple said Thursday that it plans to publish its App Store Review Guidelines "to help developers understand how we review submitted apps." The company said that it's publishing the guidelines in an effort to be "more transparent."

Apple's decision to post review guidelines has been a long time coming. For years, the company has been approving certain apps, while not allowing others into its App Store without, according to the developers, adequate explanation. Until now, Apple has been firm in its stance.

Earlier this year, Apple updated its iOS 4 SDK with provisions that prevented developers from using tools such as Adobe Creative Suite 5 to port applications to the iPhone. Now, those tools can be used, as long as code isn't downloaded.

Can blind person drive a car? : Car for the blind!

As crazy as this may sound, it is now close to becoming a reality. Because we are blessed with so many other senses other than vision, it is possible to give cues to blind drivers in how to react to specific situations when they are behind the wheel. The car for the blind will do this by using an array of vibrating and voice warnings that are triggered by the reaction of sensors (made up of lasers). The driver will wear a vest and gloves that will vibrate depending on various factors. The steering wheel will also vibrate. The driver will be able to interact with the car via voice commands and touch.

Whilst it may be easy to dismiss the idea as nothing short of insanity, the vehicle itself is the result of a lot of research. Because humans do not specifically rely on a single sense to drive, it is fair to assume that someone who is blind is not at a massive disadvantage in regards to operating a vehicle. Nissan has been developing systems that will force the user to slow down and even apply the brake if a driver is too close to a vehicle in front of them. It is the conglomeration of technology such as this as well as others that has made the feat possible.

Whilst an advanced prototype is still in development a very basic prototype has been developed in the form of a beach buggy. The beach buggy used a wide variety of aids to help a blind person test the vehicle with a great deal of success.  

"The next prototype (much more advanced than the buggy) is to be tested in January, 2011. "

 Instead of a beach buggy, it will be a Ford Escape. A large vehicle that is quite common to give the broadest results possible.

The next prototype (much more advanced than the buggy)

is to be tested in January, 2011.

Can you fold your mobile? : New Triple fold screen mobile phone

New Triple fold screen mobile phone

Big screen is always in demand in the mobile phone. Because big screen give you an option to see photos and videos clearly. Now this mobile phone is coming with the folded screens. You can unfold these screen three times and as a result you can see wide and attractive screens.

sony's show for latest gadget with new technology :Sony Expo Showcases Latest Tech

The annual Sony Hawaii Expo was held this week at the Ala Moana Hotel Hibiscus

 Ballroom.    Highlight of this year’s Sony Expo was the desktop Sony OLED flatscreen TV (shown above). The hallmark of this high tech wonder is its small size and crystal clear high definition picture. The screen itself is thinner than a compact disc jewel case.

Another hyped product at the Sony Hawaii Expo is the new Sony Rolly MP3 player. It is a new portable device that is shaped like a little barrel and moves to the beat of the music. The speakers on this device are positioned at both ends and open up with winglike flaps on each end. The device will not be marketed in the U.S. and is aimed only at consumers in Japan. If it were sold in the U.S. the price would be at around $400.

The Sony Rolly MP3 player. Sold only in Japan.

Face recognition “smile” technology for Sony Cybershot cameras were also a new this year. The new Cybershots can sense when a person smiles and fires only at that time. People were happily smiling for the demo at the Sony Cybershot booth. There were many other Cybershot digital still and video cameras that were also on display for consumers to play with.

I was most interested in the small super zoom, SLR-like cameras that I may want to get in an effort to find a capable SLR-like digital camera without all of the weight and bulk.

Last year’s hot product, the Sony Playstation 3 was almost like a has-been this year. Yes, there were displays of the venerable Playstation 3 for people to use, but the crowds around those stations were not very big. Sony is still marketing the Playstation 2 which is still the most popular game console of all time, despite Nintendo running away with the market lead on their new generation Wii product.

I am still interested in perhaps getting a Sony PSP, mainly for the fact that it can surf the web with its wireless internet feature. Another wifi device that was touted last year, the Sony Mylo, was nowhere to be seen this year. Sony still sells the device.

HDTV are the big products Sony is pushing this year as the Expo was dominated by flatscreen high definition sets all over the place. Going hand in hand with that were several Sony Blu-Ray HDTV DVD players. the pictures on the sets and from the players are incredibly clear.

People clamor around the latest Sony digital cameras.

Don’t know if I am ready to sink money in either of these technologies, especially Blu-Ray since it is locked in a format war with the rival HD-DVD. Beta vs. VHS all over again. I’ll wait for the dust to settle on this one.

Overall the Sony Expo was a great little venue to check the latest technology from one of the most popular electronic companies on the face of the earth.

from Australia's largest technology trade show: EO ultra mobile personal computer

Lia Timson rounds up the coolest gadgets at the latest technology trade show.

                                                                    Tech heads and early adopters must have had a field day at CeBIT, Australia's largest technology trade show. It wrapped up this week, clearing the way for the latest hardware and software to be embraced by consumers and businesses. Some of the gear is already available, other devices will arrive later this year. Much of it capitalises on the trend toward mobile work.

Among the stars of the show was the ultra-mobile personal computer (UMPC) - between a tablet PC and a personal digital assistant (PDA) - with full PC capabilities at half of the price of a tablet. The new $1650 EO from TabletKiosk is 50 per cent bigger than the average PDA, runs Windows XP and ditches Pocket PC applications in favour of full Windows software versions.

It's handier and lighter than a tablet or laptop and more useful than a PDA, primarily because of its 17cm touch screen. The UMPC will come with hard drives from 30GB to 160GB, and with memory up to 1GB. It is Wi-Fi and internet enabled, but does not have a mobile phone, although we are told one can be connected via Bluetooth.

Hugo Ortega, the principal of Tegatech Australia , distributors of the EO, says demand has already outstripped initial estimates, with 250 units sold in the first two hours of orders opening. It arrives in June.

"From what we've seen, there is demand for digital ink to take notes on the screen and have it transcribed to Word or other [program]," Ortega says. He says it will finally do away with paper notebooks carried around by students and note-taking professionals.

Samsung and Asus also have ultra-mobile PCs on the way soon.

Still on the portable stakes, a new credit card-size USB flash drive has arrived.

The compact Wallet Flash  has a double-sided USB port that sticks out and is small enough to fit snugly with other cards in your wallet.

Gilad Grinbaum, the director of G-Innovations , distributors of the Israeli-developed device, says it is waterproof, and starts from $30 for 128MB of storage.

If you're a mobile worker in tough and secret conditions, Panasonic's Toughbook CF-51 arrives in September. It is water and shock resistant and comes in a magnesium-alloy case. The 80GB hard drive is removable for security, and fingerprint and smart-card readers are optional. The series was designed to meet US military durability requirements.

is it car or fully featured of your gadget?: Mercedes-Benz F500 Concept Car

The F 500 Mind showcases the very latest technology

At the Tokyo Motor Show 2003, Mercedes-Benz presented the latest in a string of research vehicles which have attracted much interest and attention over the years and which provide fascinating insights into the automotive technology of tomorrow and beyond. Packaged as a modern four-door fastback saloon, the F 500 Mind mobile research lab showcases more than a dozen ideas for enhancing the safety, drive technology and comfort of future Mercedes passenger cars.

The DaimlerChrysler researchers will be using this vehicle to conduct the first practical tests of these innovative systems and pave the way for their commercialisation. The raft of innovations extends all the way from the night vision system with infrared laser headlamps to two-way doors and a programmable multivision display in the cockpit. Electronic accelerator and brake pedals, an interior pillar which provides structural rigidity and an ultrasound driver information system are further features being tested by Mercedes-Benz in the F 500 Mind.

For the powertrain, the DaimlerChrysler researchers have developed a high-performance diesel hybrid unit whose NEDC fuel consumption is up to 20 per cent lower than that of a comparable CDI engine. The state-of-the-art V8 diesel engine (184 kW/250 hp) from the S-Class has been combined with a powerful electric motor (50 kW) which is switched on and off by an electronic controller in response to traffic conditions and driving style. The electric motor can take over for example when moving off from rest, in stop-go conditions or in other situations where an internal combustion engine does not operate at optimal efficiency. When the driver demands more power, the V8 internal combustion engine cuts in to provide sharp acceleration. The 300 V battery for the electric motor is located under the passenger cell and is recharged during braking.

With a body length of 5092 millimetres and a wheelbase of 2965 mm, the F 500 Mind offers a significant gain in legroom in the rear compared with a conventional present-day saloon in this class. This was made possible by using innovative-design electronic accelerator and brake pedals which take the form of pressure-sensitive surfaces. Sensors in these “pedals” transmit the driver’s commands to the engine and SBCô brake system by means of electrical impulses. The technology takes up much less room than conventional mechanical pedals, increasing the length of the front footwell by 120 millimetres. The driver’s and front passenger’s seats can therefore be positioned further forward, so providing more space for the rear passengers. The steering, too, is controlled electronically.

Intelligent door-opening technology allows the doors to be opened in two different ways: either conventionally (both doors open forwards) or from the centre (centre-opening). In the latter mode, the B-pillar stump moves backwards with the rear door to provide a 1900 mm-wide opening for occupant entry and exit.

In the absence of full-size B-pillars, which would normally provide the all-important structural rigidity and side impact protection, the Stuttgart engineers came up with an innovative interior pillar which provides exemplary rigidity and typical Mercedes standards of occupant safety. The pillar is located in the middle of the vehicle towards the rear, and connects the reinforced floor pan to the roof structure. It also houses the air-conditioning ducts and interior lighting units.

The multivision display in the cockpit of the F 500 Mind forms the centrepiece of an innovative instrumentation and control system which offers the driver more flexible information delivery and at the same time reduces fatigue. The dials and displays in the instrument cluster are programmable and their images can be optically superposed or combined with the aid of a semitransparent mirror. In this way the driver can call up a wide range of information at the push of a button on the steering wheel. The information is always displayed directly in the driver’s field of vision where it can be seen easily and will not distract him. A further display, the central display unit, is situated above the centre console. It is linked to a touchpad whose surface is divided up in exactly the same way as the surface of the central display. By briefly touching it, the driver can control the navigation system, radio, air conditioning, telephone and other systems.

Further switches and keys in the vehicle are equipped with special sensors which can detect the driver’s approaching hand even at a distance of several centimetres. They then immediately call up the relevant function in the central display, for more convenient operation.

An advanced-design voice control system and an ultrasound-based driver information system take convenience even further. The ultrasound technology targets the sound at the driver so that only he or she can hear the information from the navigation system, the traffic news and other sound-based information sources, while the front passenger and rear passengers remain undisturbed.

In the dark or in poor visibility, the innovative night vision system projects its images onto the right-hand display. The night vision system consists of two infrared laser headlights on the front of the vehicle which “illuminate” the road with their invisible light over a range of up to 150 metres. The light reflected back from other vehicles, cyclists or pedestrians to a camera mounted on the front windscreen of the F 500 Mind is projected in black and white onto the multivision display. This allows the driver to spot hazards much earlier than in a vehicle operating on conventional dipped headlamps, which have a range of only about 40 metres. Thus Night Vision offers further opportunities for making night driving safer.

As a mobile research lab, the F 500 Mind is equipped with a special “laboratory bench” which folds out towards the rear. This allows a researcher sitting in the back of the vehicle to monitor and control the vehicle systems during testing on the proving grounds and to carry out measurements. For example the researchers are planning to use this fascinating vehicle for intensive user acceptance-testing of the innovative instrumentation and control system and for further practical testing of the diesel hybrid drive system and the Night Vision system.

man or robot:Cyberdyne is coming with the world latest technology of robot

A Japanese Company Cyberdyne 


is coming whit the world latest technology of robot. It is very interested to know that really it is very interesting device because it helps to disable people, we can know it the name of this device, HAL or Hybrid Assistive limb, it is a very unimaginative robotic suit for all robotic fans who are waiting for something special in this robotic field. This unimaginative robotic suit is very helpful for all disable and elderly people because it has the quality of reading brain signal and has far reaching benefits. This technology is the latest technology for the robotic field and it based on the computerized technology which has come with sensors device. In this robotic suit, reads brain signal and directs limb movement always comes through the skin which helps to disable and elderly people for moving around. It is very easy to use for them because it is worn as a belt around the waist and operated by a22 pound battery.

The Japanese company has come with this product of the cost of $1,500 for a monthly rental fee. Why we are saying so much about this interesting product because it really works so well how, first it has a sensor whish help for capture the brain signal and it goes thorough mechanical legs braces strapped to the thighs and knees. Which then provide robotic help to disable people where they want to move any where? Really this product are very useful and it will be very useful and helpful for medical line where a lot of disable people who can not do any thing whit out any help so Japanese are really such a god for them who are bringing this helpful robotic suit.

latest Technology and new feature :cycle like Mercedes ?

How cool is this new Mercedes Concept Car?

It sure looks like an old-fashioned carriage, but according to Mercedes-Benz this will be the car for the future. Built with large spoked wheels, Mercedes-Benz has decided to go with traditional design features and latest technology. Good combination?

say very cool car , is powered by a hybrid drive system using an emission-free fuel cell. With a top speed of 15.5 miles an hour (25 km/h) you won´t be late for work. 

Taking a look inside this amazing car we will find carbon-fiber bucket seats with hand-stitched leather covers and a distinctively styled fiberglass front section that is inspired by Formula One racing cars. The car is controlled by a joystick instead of a regular steering wheel.

Latest TECH: Flexible, full-color OLED display

On May 24, Sony unveiled what it is calling the world's first flexible, full-color organic light emitting diode (OLED) display built on organic thin-film transistor (TFT) technology. OLEDs typically use a glass substrate, but Sony researchers developed new technology for forming organic TFT on a plastic substrate, enabling them to create a thin, lightweight and flexible full-color display. The 2.5-inch prototype display supports 16.8 million colors at a 120 x 160 pixel resolution (80 ppi, .318-mm pixel pitch), is 0.3 mm thick and weighs 1.5 grams without the driver.

According to Sony, which plans to release a new line of miniature TVs this year and is bolstering efforts to develop next-generation flat-panel OLEDs, this new technology will lead to the development of thinner, lighter and softer electronics.

The company is scheduled to present the results of its research at the SID 2007 International Symposium now underway in the US.

NASA with space telescope !!

How Real Satellites/Space Telescopes Come About
A December 2007 artist's conception of the James Webb Space Telescope.Credit: NASA › Larger imageIt takes years to bring a real large space telescope from basic concept to hardware reality. First, a scientist comes up with an idea to study some aspect of the Earth or the cosmos. The idea is discussed, reviewed and developed by committees of scientists. It is proposed to NASA, who makes decisions on what missions to go forth on, and which missions to pass on. If a mission is selected for study a timeline is created to develop the mission.

One of the most difficult aspects of creating a new mission is convincing others to fund it. Once a mission is funded, the team of scientists and engineers "pitching" the mission can then investigate how it could come together. Later, NASA usually selects a prime contractor to help design the telescope and other systems that will fly on the satellite. Northrop Grumman was selected to build components for the Webb telescope. The instruments, or cameras, on the telescope are selected as well, with teams of scientists to watch over the design.

The design process usually includes a number of different designs, which are all tested to see which would yield the best result for the type of object the instrument would study. For example, various types of infrared cameras may be developed and tested, and the one that gives a scientist the best result, would be chosen to be built as a test unit.
Engineering Test Units
The life-sized James Webb Space Telescope model sits in front of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, in Dublin, Ireland.Credit: Richard Bent, Northrop Grumman Space Technology › Larger imageEngineering test units, or ETUs are created before an actual instrument is built, so that engineers and scientists can make sure it would work properly. ETUs are a replica of the flight unit that can perform certain flight functions for testing purposes. ETUs are also used when engineers are practicing installation of an instrument into a satellite's mainframe or "bus." The outcome of the tests on ETUs may lead to a change in handling procedures of the actual flight instrument, but not a change in its flight construction.

Once the ETUs test successful, then the actual instruments that will fly aboard a satellite or space telescope can be manufactured. Those instruments go through their own set of rigorous tests by the manufacturing contractor, NASA and other partners. On the Webb telescope, NASA is partnering with the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.
Testing the System

Satellite and space telescope instruments can endure harsh temperature swings as big as 200 degrees Fahrenheit, micro-meteor impacts and exposure to solar radiation. On top of that, before a spacecraft like the Webb can operate in orbit, it has to survive a ride on a rocket to get there. That's where environmental testing chambers like the ones at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., come into play. Hardware gets run through NASA Goddard's centrifuge, acoustics and thermal vacuum chambers to ensure they can endure the rigors of launch.

The centrifuge simulates the increased feeling of gravity's pull during a launch. For astronauts, that's normally a few minutes at two or three times the force of Earth's gravity, measured in Gs. The Webb telescope can experience 6-7 G's due to the Ariane 5 rocket's combined acceleration and vibration. The Webb telescope will be launched on an Ariane 5 ECA rocket. The launch vehicle is part of the European contribution to the mission.

Launching a rocket carrying a satellite or space telescope creates extraordinarily loud noise, so engineers use an Acoustic Test Chamber to make sure an instrument can handle it safely. In Goddard's 42-foot-tall chamber, technicians expose payloads to the noise of a launch. To do that, they rely on 6-foot-tall speakers. The speakers (more accurately called horns) use an altering flow of gaseous nitrogen to produce a sound level as high as 143 decibels for one-minute tests. That's about the level of sound heard standing next to a jet engine during takeoff.
This panorama shows the inside of Goddard's High Bay Clean Room, as seen from the observation deck. The clean room will be a home to some Webb components before the telescope is put together. Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn › Larger image 

The hardware is also tested in the thermal vacuum which exposes them to conditions they will experience in space. The chamber has massive mechanical vacuum pumps and cryopumps to ensure that the hard vacuum of space is simulated in the test chamber. The cryopumps use gaseous helium to condense remaining gases out of the chamber once the mechanical pumps have done their work. The two types of pumps work together to eliminate all but the tiniest trace of air in the chamber, down to about a billionth of Earth's normal atmospheric pressure.

Because the Webb telescope is operating in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum it is designed to operate at very cold temperatures. To simulate this environment an additional cooling system, a helium refrigeration system, was added so the thermal vacuum chamber could reach temperatures in the -413 Fahrenheit (F) range. "The ISIM structure was tested in our thermal vacuum chamber down to about 26 Kelvin, or minus 413 F," said Jon F. Lawrence, Webb telescope Mechanical Systems Lead Engineer/Launch Vehicle Liaison at NASA Goddard.

This test program starts at the lowest level of assembly, instrument or spacecraft components and is repeated at each next level of assembly. Once the instruments pass these tests they are all put together into the structure which holds them and the unit is tested again. The instrument structure is connected to the telescope and the whole observatory is tested yet again. There isn't a vacuum chamber large enough to hold the entire Webb observatory at NASA Goddard, so the telescope will travel to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, to be tested in a chamber that was originally built for testing the Apollo command module to simulate the trip to the moon. The next stop after that is launch into deep space.

Currently, ETUs or actual flight hardware for the Webb telescope are being tested in various ways.

The James Webb Space Telescope is the next-generation premier space observatory, exploring deep space phenomena from distant galaxies to nearby planets and stars. The Webb Telescope will give scientists clues about the formation of the universe and the evolution of our own solar system, from the first light after the Big Bang to the formation of star systems capable of supporting life on planets like Earth.

The Webb Telescope project is managed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. The telescope is a joint project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.

For information about NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, visit:
http://www.jwst.nasa.gov/

To see photos of the Full-scale model on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. May 10-12, 2007, visit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/scifilaura/sets/72157600211237270/

Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.