"The graphite-epoxy assemblies were designed, built, and tested by Astro Aerospace, a Northrop Grumman business," the release said. "The two boom assemblies will help deploy the large sunshield once Webb is in orbit."
Northrop Grumman pointed out the assemblies were delivered following successful environmental testing at Astro Aerospace to Northrop Grumman's Space Park facility in Redondo Beach, California.
"The mid-boom assemblies attach to the sides of the spacecraft bus and extend in length to deploy the sunshield. Each one consists of six telescoping graphite-epoxy composite tubes, one nested inside the other, "the release said.
Northrop Grumman explained as the mid-booms extend, they pull out Webb’s sunshield membranes with them, thereby unfolding them. Once the tubes are fully extended, the stem is retracted which reels in a cable through pulleys at the tips of the boom that separate and properly tension each sunshield membrane, the company added.
