JWST team photo from left: Jeff Slade, JWST Lead Scheduler, ASRC Federal Partner, Maureen Disharoon, Senior Manager, Project & Program Management at ASRC Federal, Chris Gunn Webb photographer and Senior Principal Program Planning & Scheduling Analyst at ASRC Federal and Jim Frost, Senior Manager, Project/Program Management ASRC Federal
After twenty years of development, NASA and its partners are gearing up for the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) mission later this month. From project schedulers to engineers, data managers and photographers, ASRC Federal employees have supported the building, testing, transportation, and launch preparations for the world’s next greatest space telescope that will further our understanding of the universe.
“Working on the James Webb space telescope for so long, especially as it gets close to the launch … has me a little bit nervous, but [gives me] a great sense of pride and accomplishment,” noted Maureen Disharoon, senior manager, project & program management at ASRC Federal. “When I started on this project, my kids were young. Now they’re married with kids of their own, and I share with my grandchildren that the James Webb space telescope will rewrite the science books that you’re going to be learning about in school.”
JWST is the size of a tennis court and one hundred times more powerful than the Hubble Space Telescope. Unlike Hubble, which sees primarily visible light, JWST will see in infrared and will be the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. According to NASA, the telescope will travel a million miles away to look at the first stars and galaxies, study distant planets around other stars, and solve mysteries in our solar system.
“The Webb team. They’re amazing… They’re all really tapped in and dialed into the mission. And when we’ve had challenges, I’ve seen everyone rise to the occasion. So it’s been tremendous being a part of this team. It’s inspirational,” Chris Gunn, webb photographer and senior principal program planning & scheduling analyst at ASRC Federal, remarked. “I really can’t wait for the first light images. I’ll probably shed a tear when I see the first light images. I really can’t wait.”
For more information on the telescope as it is prepared for launch, visit https://jwst.nasa.gov/content/webbLaunch/index.html.
About ASRC Federal
ASRC Federal comprises a family of companies that deliver digital operations and IT modernization, software, applications and analytics, engineering solutions, professional services, and infrastructure operations to U.S. civil, defense and intelligence agencies. Our employees are committed to achieving successful mission outcomes and providing enduring value. ASRC Federal is a wholly owned subsidiary of Arctic Slope Regional Corporation. For more information, please visit www.asrcfederal.com.
For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Kristy Chandler at [email protected].
