Mandrel for James Webb Space Telescope spacecraft bus
Northrop Grumman has taken delivery of a key piece of equipment that will be used to build the center portion of the spacecraft bus for NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. The 100-inch diameter cone-shaped mandrel is the form upon which the graphite-epoxy composite center structure of the spacecraft will be built. The center structure will contain the Webb’s propulsion unit and support Webb's sunshield and optical telescope. Lynco Grinding in Bell Gardens, California built the cone mandrel. Northrop Grumman Space Park will begin building the spacecraft bus cone laminate in February 2013.
Credit: Northrop Grumman
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Taken on November 28, 2012