The Robot Report

  • Home
  • News
  • Technologies
    • Batteries / Power Supplies
    • Cameras / Imaging / Vision
    • Controllers
    • End Effectors
    • Microprocessors / SoCs
    • Motion Control
    • Sensors
    • Soft Robotics
    • Software / Simulation
  • Development
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Human Robot Interaction / Haptics
    • Mobility / Navigation
    • Research
  • Robots
    • AGVs
    • AMRs
    • Consumer
    • Collaborative Robots
    • Drones
    • Humanoids
    • Industrial
    • Self-Driving Vehicles
    • Unmanned Maritime Systems
  • Business
    • Financial
      • Investments
      • Mergers & Acquisitions
      • Earnings
    • Markets
      • Agriculture
      • Healthcare
      • Logistics
      • Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Security
    • RBR50
      • RBR50 Winners 2025
      • RBR50 Winners 2024
      • RBR50 Winners 2023
      • RBR50 Winners 2022
      • RBR50 Winners 2021
  • Resources
    • Automated Warehouse Research Reports
    • Digital Issues
    • eBooks
    • Publications
      • Automated Warehouse
      • Collaborative Robotics Trends
    • Search Robotics Database
    • Videos
    • Webinars / Digital Events
  • Events
    • RoboBusiness
    • Robotics Summit & Expo
    • DeviceTalks
    • R&D 100
    • Robotics Weeks
  • Podcast
    • Episodes
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

The robots that helped build the James Webb Telescope

By Brianna Wessling | January 18, 2022

hexapod placing mirrors

A custom hexapod from PI was used to place the segments of the telescope’s mirror. | Source: NASA

Last week, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope began preparing for a three-month long process of aligning the 18 hexagonal mirror segments that make up the telescope’s mirror. The process begins by moving each segment upwards by just 12.5 mm.

The James Webb Space Telescope is the largest telescope to ever be launched into space. With all of its mirror segments unfolded, it’s around the size of a tennis court.

NASA’s engineers had to place each hexagonal piece with extreme precision. To do so, they used a robotic arm that can move in six directions. The arm was controlled by a custom hexapod created by PI USA. The hexapod was placed at the end of the robotic arm to ensure that each piece was placed in the correct spot.

“In order for the combination of mirror segments to function as a single mirror they must be placed within a few millimeters of one another, to fraction-of-a-millimeter accuracy. A human operator cannot place the mirrors that accurately, so we developed a robotic system to do the assembly,” NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Program Director Eric Smith said.

These mirrors were made for movin’, and that’s just what they’ll do.#ICYMI, last Friday we launched our mirror motor tracker. On https://t.co/1OTI2bYnfR, you can track our individual mirror segments as they move upward by 12.5 mm to prep for a 3-month mirror alignment process. pic.twitter.com/p2MdbjeaXQ

— NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb) January 18, 2022

Placing the pieces required two teams of engineers to work simultaneously. The first was dedicated to controlling the robotic arm and maneuvering it around the structure of the telescope.

The other team worked to take measurements with lasers as the segments were placed, bolted and glued.

“Instead of using a measuring tape, a laser is used to measure distance very precisely,” Garry Matthews, Harris Corporation’s James Webb Space Telescope’s assembly integration and test director, said. “Based off of those measurements a coordinate system is used to place each of the primary mirror segments. The engineers can move the mirror into its precise location on the telescope structure to within the thickness of a piece of paper.”

The James Webb Space Telescope was launched in December 2021. It is designed to last in space for at least five and a half years. Ideally, however, NASA is hoping the telescope will continue operating for 10 years.

The telescope will build and expand on the work of the Hubble Space Telescope. It will orbit around one million miles from Earth to see some of the first galaxies formed in the universe.

About The Author

Brianna Wessling

Brianna Wessling is an Associate Editor, Robotics, WTWH Media. She joined WTWH Media in November 2021, after graduating from the University of Kansas with degrees in Journalism and English. She covers a wide range of robotics topics, but specializes in women in robotics, autonomous vehicles, and space robotics.

She can be reached at bwessling@wtwhmedia.com

Tell Us What You Think! Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Articles Read More >

From left to right: Kali Hamilton, Kait Peterson, and Sonali Deshpande.
3 women share advice for navigating the robotics industry
a collage of images from GTC 2025.
AI advances lead to more nimble humanoids, greater autonomy at NVIDIA GTC
A woman operating a robot with the help of ABB's RoboMasters.
ABB launches RoboMasters app-based robotics training tool
MassRobotics' 2024 National Robotics Week event.
MassRobotics shares its plans for National Robotics Week 2025

RBR50 Innovation Awards

“rr
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest info on technologies, tools and strategies for Robotics Professionals.
The Robot Report Listing Database

Latest Episode of The Robot Report Podcast

Automated Warehouse Research Reports

Sponsored Content

  • Sager Electronics and its partners, logos shown here, will exhibit at the 2025 Robotics Summit & Expo. Sager Electronics to exhibit at the Robotics Summit & Expo
  • The Shift in Robotics: How Visual Perception is Separating Winners from the Pack
  • An AutoStore automated storage and retrieval grid. Webinar to provide automated storage and retrieval adoption advice
  • Smaller, tougher devices for evolving demands
  • Modular motors and gearboxes make product development simple
The Robot Report
  • Mobile Robot Guide
  • Collaborative Robotics Trends
  • Field Robotics Forum
  • Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum
  • RoboBusiness Event
  • Robotics Summit & Expo
  • About The Robot Report
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search The Robot Report

  • Home
  • News
  • Technologies
    • Batteries / Power Supplies
    • Cameras / Imaging / Vision
    • Controllers
    • End Effectors
    • Microprocessors / SoCs
    • Motion Control
    • Sensors
    • Soft Robotics
    • Software / Simulation
  • Development
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Human Robot Interaction / Haptics
    • Mobility / Navigation
    • Research
  • Robots
    • AGVs
    • AMRs
    • Consumer
    • Collaborative Robots
    • Drones
    • Humanoids
    • Industrial
    • Self-Driving Vehicles
    • Unmanned Maritime Systems
  • Business
    • Financial
      • Investments
      • Mergers & Acquisitions
      • Earnings
    • Markets
      • Agriculture
      • Healthcare
      • Logistics
      • Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Security
    • RBR50
      • RBR50 Winners 2025
      • RBR50 Winners 2024
      • RBR50 Winners 2023
      • RBR50 Winners 2022
      • RBR50 Winners 2021
  • Resources
    • Automated Warehouse Research Reports
    • Digital Issues
    • eBooks
    • Publications
      • Automated Warehouse
      • Collaborative Robotics Trends
    • Search Robotics Database
    • Videos
    • Webinars / Digital Events
  • Events
    • RoboBusiness
    • Robotics Summit & Expo
    • DeviceTalks
    • R&D 100
    • Robotics Weeks
  • Podcast
    • Episodes
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe