The optical telescope and integrated science instrument module (OTIS) of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope arrived at Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems in Redondo Beach, California, on Friday, Feb. 2. It was previously at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where it successfully completed cryogenic testing.
In preparation for leaving Johnson, OTIS was placed inside a specially designed shipping container called the Space Telescope Transporter for Air, Road and Sea (STTARS). The container was then loaded onto a U.S. military C-5 Charlie aircraft at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base, just outside of Johnson. From there, OTIS took a flight to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
Upon its arrival, OTIS was driven from LAX to Northrop Grumman’s Space Park facility. OTIS and the spacecraft element, which is Webb’s combined sunshield and spacecraft bus, now both call Northrop home.
