Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Mohsin Shaikh
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), strategically located at a distance of approximately 1.5 million kilometres from Earth, is redefining the boundaries of space exploration. With a wide array of accomplishments under its belt, this remarkable telescope is uncovering unprecedented insights into the intricacies of stars, planets, and galaxies
As the JWST embarks on its mission in the depths of space, its technological innovations are reverberating right here on Earth. The innovations stemming from the observatory's technology have found practical applications in our daily lives. For instance, they have contributed to the development of advanced LASIK (laser-assisted in Situ Keratomileusis) technologies, enhancing vision correction procedures
LASIK eye surgery stands out as the most well-known and frequently performed laser refractive procedure designed to correct vision issues. It offers an alternative to traditional glasses or contact lenses. During LASIK surgery, a specialised cutting laser is used to reshape the cornea, the dome-shaped tissue at the front of the eye
Ansys Zemax OpticStudio software, which is used for vision correction procedure, is being used by the scientists working on the JWST. The software required adjustments and the incorporation of certain features to accurately replicate the complex functioning and work in co-ordination with JWST's 18 hexagonal mirrors. These mirrors collectively constitute the telescope's primary lenses for distant observations
The hexagonal shape of the mirror serves a specific purpose, featuring a "high filling factor" and six-fold symmetry. A high filling factor ensures that the mirror segments interlock without leaving gaps between the six-fold symmetry of mirrors. This symmetry is advantageous as it requires only three different optical prescriptions for all 18 hexagonal mirrors with six segments of the mirror sharing each prescription. In simple terms, optical prescription are eye numbers prescribed by a doctor for vision correction in glasses and contact lenses
According to a report by NASA, software developers left no stone unturned in enhancing the OpticStudio's compatibility. Erin Elliot, an optical engineer at Ansys Inc., which builds the Ansys Zemax OpticStudio said, “We pushed everything, all the simulations, just as hard as it would go.”
Erin Elliott's involvement with OpticStudio began during her tenure with NASA contractors back in the early 2000s. Later, in 2015, she transitioned to Zemax, a company that was subsequently acquired by Ansys Inc. in 2021, headquartered in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. During the early stages, Zemax tailored their software to support the James Webb Telescope project. Elliott mentioned that specific adjustments were made to accommodate the telescope's unique needs, particularly related to handling the coordinate systems of the 18 hexagonal segments comprising the primary mirror
Outside the realm of astronomy, experts emphasise that the enhanced software version is already finding applications in the development of more efficient medical examination tools, such as endoscopes. This enhanced version of the OpticStudio software is now helping the doctors to create high-definition images of the patient’s eye for better study and LASIK procedures. It is also playing a crucial role in the creation of thermal imagers used for detecting potential Covid-19 exposures in crowded settings
The innovative design concepts and software solutions conceived for JWST are poised to serve as an influential benchmark for future telescope projects. The upcoming telescopes, particularly those requiring modular assembly in space, will draw inspiration from the groundbreaking approach of JWST, with the aim of reducing mission costs and enhancing mission flexibility