Image quality verification analysis of the JWST

The JWST optical performance verification poses challenges not yet encountered in space based telescopes. The deployable, segmented Primary Mirror and Secondary Mirror require re-alignment after launch rendering ground alignment states moot. The architecture of JWST was designed to accommodate these difficulties by including active positioning of the Secondary Mirror and the Primary Mirror Segments. In fact, the requirements are written such that the active control system shall be used to meet the requirements. Therefore many of the optical requirements are necessarily based on modeling and simulations of the post-launch, re-alignment of the telescope. This paper provide an overview of a process of computer simulation using an end-to-end integrated model that is used to statistically evaluate the on-orbit, re-alignment performance based on the uncertainties in the integration and test program and deployments.

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