How do you test a spacecraft? | James Webb Space Telescope | Maddie Moate

The video explores the rigorous testing processes that spacecraft and their components undergo before being launched into space. It covers vibration testing to ensure payloads can withstand the violent shaking during launch, pyroshock testing to simulate the explosive separation of rockets, and environmental testing to recreate the vacuum and temperature extremes of space. The video highlights the importance of these tests in ensuring the functionality and durability of sensitive scientific equipment like Miri, a camera on the James Webb Space Telescope.

What is the primary reason rockets have large boosters?

• To store scientific equipment

• To provide enough force to overcome Earth's gravity

• To improve aerodynamics

• To reduce launch costs

What is the purpose of the vibration test on spacecraft components?

• To check the component's color

• To test the component's weight

• To measure the component's temperature

• To ensure components can withstand the shaking during launch

What does the Pyroshock simulator test replicate?

• The sound of a rocket launch

• The vacuum of space

• The shockwaves from explosive bolts during rocket separation

• The heat of re-entry

Why is it important to test spacecraft components in a vacuum?

• To make the components more colorful

• To reduce the cost of testing

• To simulate the absence of air in space

• To increase the weight of the components

What temperature range can the space test chamber simulate?

• 120 to -190 degrees Celsius

• 0 to 50 degrees Celsius

• 200 to 300 degrees Celsius

• 10 to 100 degrees Celsius

How long can tests in the space test chamber last?

• A few minutes

• Up to nine months

• A few days

• A few hours

What is the significance of the shroud panels in the space test chamber?

• They are used for soundproofing

• They are decorative elements

• They provide lighting for the chamber

• They control the temperature by heating or cooling