Tungsten Disulfide for Astronomical Telescope Assembly

As tungsten disulfide is a high efficient solid lubricating material, it is usually used in astronomical telescope assembly to lubricate the parts. Tungsten disulfide is very lubricious and can be applied under bad working conditions such as high temperature, extreme pressure, corrosion, etc.

Tungsten disulfide may be used in the assembly process of James Webber telescope, so as to lubricate the relevant parts.

NASA recently released a video of James Webber telescope assembly. The primary mirror of the optical telescope had been successfully connected with the instrument base. And the docking was completed at Northrop Grumman military factory in California.

James Webber telescope is a new generation of American Astronomical Telescope after Hubble telescope. It is also the largest astronomical telescope in the world at present. The diameter of the optical telescope is up to 6.5 m. Unlike the Hubble telescope, which orbits in low earth orbit, it will enter the 150,000,000,000 deep space back the dark side of the earth.

NASA launched this research and development plan in 2011. And the European Space Agency participated in the program as well, together with the Canadian Space Agency. Scientists hope to find the first Galaxy born 13.5 billion years ago through the James Webber telescope, so as to uncover the secret of the birth of the universe.

The telescope was scheduled to launch in 2014. However, the plan has been repeatedly delayed due to budget. At present, the cost of the whole project has reached about 10 billion dollars, and the telescope is scheduled to launch again in March 2021. The research and development team will install a sunshade about the size of a tennis court for the lens. This kind of sunshade can keep the device at a temperature of minus 225 degrees, so as to avoid infrared radiation damage in space.

The docking of the telescope, which involves the lubrication problem between parts, is usually a big project. How to connect the parts with less surface wear is one of the most troubling issues for the team. Tungsten disulfide may be a good solution to this problem. As a solid lubricating material, it can be directly coated on part surfaces with good lubricating performance.

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