High-Level Project Summary
I took references from John Jogerst's JWST paper model template. Using sheets of paper, glassine paper, aluminum paper, glue, and superglue, I have created an origami paper model that looks like JWST. In addition, I modified the model so its primary mirror can be folded (like the actual JWST's mirror). JWST is very important to the astronomy community because it is the largest optical-infrared space telescope after Hubble Space Telescope. With a 3.75 times bigger mirror, JWST can reach the deeper universe and observe fainter astronomical objects that have never been observed before. Using this model, I can demonstrate how great JWST is to others more directly and vividly.
Link to Project "Demo"
Link to Final Project
Detailed Project Description
The main points of the challenge
This challenge asks us to create origami artwork (using sheets of paper) that looks like the James Webb Space Telescope. The main focus of this challenge is to show JWST engineering hardware deployment.
What exactly did I do?
I took references from John Jogerst's JWST paper model template. It contains 19 pages of paper parts of JWST. Based on this template, I have built a JWST model prototype with scissors, a cutter, glue, and super glue. At this stage, the model looked like a space telescope but still does not look like JWST. Therefore, I decided to add more features and modifications to this prototype. I searched for images of JWST (360-degree view) from NASA's website. I covered the primary mirror with yellow glassine paper so the mirror had a shiny surface like a real mirror. Besides, I covered the heat shields with aluminum foil paper so they could have a shiny metal surface. Having sheets of heat shields underneath is one of the features of JWST. The sun shields keep the satellite cool by blocking the heat of the sun. This allows the JWST’s infra-red telescope to see and analyze very faint, distant objects. If they are not shiny, they do not reflect sunlight as they should do. Normal rockets are not able to carry JWST as it has a 6.5-meter large primary mirror. NASA engineers have developed the foldable mirror that tackle this problem. In my design, I cut the primary mirror so it could be folded like JWST's actual mirror.
Why is this project important?
Astronomy is not a hot topic in Taiwan. When normal people see the name NASA, what comes to their mind? I believe most of them would say space missions, space shuttles, rockets, or even aliens... People seldom remember NASA is also paying effort to send large telescopes to space. Education is the key to resolve this kind of bad situation. I have been a teaching assistant the past few semesters of my supervisor's astronomy classes. There was a lesson about telescopes in the world. Before that class, I built a paper model of the 8-meter Subaru telescope. In the past, it was hard to show how a telescope works in a class by showing pictures or videos. However, I and my supervisors were able to teach the students in a more direct and vivid way using the Subaru paper model. These kinds of teaching materials really help educators to teach. Not to mention the fact that students are also able to learn more about astronomy with it. I believe I can do similar things with the JWST paper model in the future.
See the video of me showing the Subaru telescope in class in 2018 below
Space Agency Data
I found many detailed pictures of JWST in NASA's James Webb Space Telescope -Webb/NASA page (https://jwst.nasa.gov/index.html).
This helped me create the whole picture of JWST without really seeing the telescope. Most of the design of my paper model is based on the pictures on this website.
I found John Jogerst's JWST paper model template in NASA's Make Your Own Model Of The Webb Space Telescope! page.
(https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/content/features/educational/paperModel/paperModel.html)
Among all the templates, I chose John Jogerst's one because it is the most detailed and complicated one. Nevertheless, I still added many new features to this prototype.
Hackathon Journey
This is the first time for me to join a Space Apps challenge. At first, I planned to join the Space Apps challenge with a few of my friends. Later, we found that each of us wanted to apply for different challenges so we did not form a team eventually. Complete a project is hard with 2-day time pressure, doing this in a one-man team is even harder. I am glad that I am able to finish the project before the deadline.
The reason why I chose this challenge is that this is the most astronomy-related challenge on the list. Astronomy is not a hot topic in Taiwan. People tend to enroll in departments that can make money (like engineering, business...) rather than natural science. As an astronomy student, I really want to do something related to astronomy and helping the community to gain more visibility. Another reason why I chose this challenge is that I have made paper models during the past few years and I found it interesting.
I would like to thank my parents. Although they might not really understand what I was busy with the past few days, they have been really supportive. When I was working all day, they delivered food to me. I am sure that I do not have been able to finish this project successfully without their warm supports.
References
- James Webb Space Telescope -Webb/NASA (https://jwst.nasa.gov/index.html)
- Make Your Own Model Of The Webb Space Telescope! (https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/content/features/educational/paperModel/paperModel.html)
Tags
#art, #JWST, #papermodel, #Astronomy
Global Judging
This project has been submitted for consideration during the Judging process.