WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.494 align:middle line:90% [MUSIC PLAYING] 00:00:01.494 --> 00:00:13.460 align:middle line:90% 00:00:13.460 --> 00:00:15.290 align:middle line:84% We're here at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory 00:00:15.290 --> 00:00:18.290 align:middle line:84% in Pasadena, California, home of Mars rovers. 00:00:18.290 --> 00:00:20.480 align:middle line:84% But it turns out the folks working here 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:22.290 align:middle line:90% are doing a lot more than that. 00:00:22.290 --> 00:00:24.860 align:middle line:84% And I just happen to have here Dr. Mike Ressler. 00:00:24.860 --> 00:00:27.260 align:middle line:90% He is a MIRI project scientist. 00:00:27.260 --> 00:00:29.040 align:middle line:84% MIRI project Scientist-- a mouthful. 00:00:29.040 --> 00:00:30.960 align:middle line:90% What do you do in a nutshell? 00:00:30.960 --> 00:00:33.470 align:middle line:84% So MIRI is an instrument that will fly on the James Webb 00:00:33.470 --> 00:00:34.520 align:middle line:90% Space Telescope. 00:00:34.520 --> 00:00:37.190 align:middle line:84% And it's sensitive to infrared light rather than visible 00:00:37.190 --> 00:00:38.030 align:middle line:90% wavelengths. 00:00:38.030 --> 00:00:41.030 align:middle line:84% So we can see the heat from astronomical sources rather 00:00:41.030 --> 00:00:43.460 align:middle line:84% than the visible light that you see 00:00:43.460 --> 00:00:45.440 align:middle line:84% if you look through a telescope with your eyes. 00:00:45.440 --> 00:00:49.190 align:middle line:84% You are in charge of the production of the detectors? 00:00:49.190 --> 00:00:50.810 align:middle line:90% What exactly is the detector? 00:00:50.810 --> 00:00:52.800 align:middle line:90% The detectors are the sensors. 00:00:52.800 --> 00:00:54.680 align:middle line:84% So if you have a digital camera, there's 00:00:54.680 --> 00:00:57.320 align:middle line:84% a little electronic chip in the heart of the camera. 00:00:57.320 --> 00:00:58.400 align:middle line:90% And that's the sensor. 00:00:58.400 --> 00:01:01.340 align:middle line:84% It's what gathers the light from the lenses 00:01:01.340 --> 00:01:03.590 align:middle line:84% and converts it into a picture that you can look at it 00:01:03.590 --> 00:01:04.905 align:middle line:90% on your computer later on. 00:01:04.905 --> 00:01:06.530 align:middle line:84% So the instrument that we're working on 00:01:06.530 --> 00:01:08.070 align:middle line:90% does exactly the same thing. 00:01:08.070 --> 00:01:09.120 align:middle line:90% Let's take a look at it. 00:01:09.120 --> 00:01:11.240 align:middle line:84% And I think we have to get into bunny suits. 00:01:11.240 --> 00:01:12.080 align:middle line:90% Is that right? 00:01:12.080 --> 00:01:14.210 align:middle line:84% Well, smocks, to keep things clean. 00:01:14.210 --> 00:01:16.970 align:middle line:90% 00:01:16.970 --> 00:01:18.770 align:middle line:84% So much for getting my hair done today. 00:01:18.770 --> 00:01:20.360 align:middle line:90% One size fits all? 00:01:20.360 --> 00:01:21.600 align:middle line:90% Or one size fits none. 00:01:21.600 --> 00:01:22.100 align:middle line:90% Oh. 00:01:22.100 --> 00:01:30.980 align:middle line:90% 00:01:30.980 --> 00:01:32.720 align:middle line:84% We have a light source, basically 00:01:32.720 --> 00:01:34.340 align:middle line:84% a very sophisticated little light 00:01:34.340 --> 00:01:36.780 align:middle line:84% bulb, that's mounted in our test setup that's 00:01:36.780 --> 00:01:38.210 align:middle line:90% shining on the detector. 00:01:38.210 --> 00:01:40.880 align:middle line:84% And the detector is collecting light in steps. 00:01:40.880 --> 00:01:45.210 align:middle line:84% We can see that the detector is indeed very sensitive. 00:01:45.210 --> 00:01:47.900 align:middle line:90% It responds very well to light. 00:01:47.900 --> 00:01:50.420 align:middle line:84% By where it saturates, we can tell how bright 00:01:50.420 --> 00:01:53.510 align:middle line:84% a star we'll be able to look at once James Webb actually 00:01:53.510 --> 00:01:54.078 align:middle line:90% launches. 00:01:54.078 --> 00:01:56.120 align:middle line:84% All those bright spots are bright because they're 00:01:56.120 --> 00:01:56.787 align:middle line:90% supposed to be-- 00:01:56.787 --> 00:01:58.580 align:middle line:90% No bad pixels, no hot pixels-- 00:01:58.580 --> 00:02:02.290 align:middle line:84% everything's just as it should be. 00:02:02.290 --> 00:02:06.240 align:middle line:84% The detectors go through environmental tests. 00:02:06.240 --> 00:02:08.580 align:middle line:84% They're shaken and chilled to make sure they 00:02:08.580 --> 00:02:12.720 align:middle line:90% survive the rigors of space. 00:02:12.720 --> 00:02:15.198 align:middle line:84% So now it's time to do a final inspection of the unit 00:02:15.198 --> 00:02:16.740 align:middle line:84% to make sure nothing's happened to it 00:02:16.740 --> 00:02:18.440 align:middle line:90% while we were doing the testing. 00:02:18.440 --> 00:02:20.940 align:middle line:84% So we want to check it to make sure that nobody accidentally 00:02:20.940 --> 00:02:22.230 align:middle line:90% got a fingerprint on it. 00:02:22.230 --> 00:02:24.420 align:middle line:84% We want to make sure there are no broken wires 00:02:24.420 --> 00:02:26.340 align:middle line:90% or other damage to the unit. 00:02:26.340 --> 00:02:28.630 align:middle line:84% We want to make sure everything is just fine. 00:02:28.630 --> 00:02:30.510 align:middle line:90% So we're really wrapping up. 00:02:30.510 --> 00:02:32.580 align:middle line:84% And we're able to say this module is fully 00:02:32.580 --> 00:02:34.260 align:middle line:90% qualified and ready to go. 00:02:34.260 --> 00:02:36.330 align:middle line:84% The Mid-Infrared Instrument or MIRI 00:02:36.330 --> 00:02:38.550 align:middle line:84% has three detectors, all of which 00:02:38.550 --> 00:02:40.980 align:middle line:84% have to be precisely aligned with each other 00:02:40.980 --> 00:02:43.800 align:middle line:84% to within half the width of a human hair. 00:02:43.800 --> 00:02:47.160 align:middle line:84% Thanks for taking this tour with us Behind the Webb. 00:02:47.160 --> 00:02:49.310 align:middle line:90% [MUSIC PLAYING] 00:02:49.310 --> 00:03:01.000 align:middle line:90%