Transporting the James Webb Telescope: How They Moved the World’s Most Valuable Object

The James Webb telescope is an incredible piece of engineering that took many years and billions of dollars to make, but how did NASA transport such a delicate and valuable machine across the world? In this video we look at the different journeys that the James Webb telescope went through before it even left the ground.

Short on time? Feel free to skip ahead in this video using the chapter links below.

00:00 How They Moved the World’s Most Valuable Object
00:32 Complications with the James Webb Telescope
01:20 How Nasa Packaged the James Webb Telescope
01:34 STTARS Space Telescope Transporter
02:26 The Making of the James Webb Telescope's Mirror
04:03 Transporting the James Webb Telescope

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Music used in this video:

» Infinite Perspective - Kevin MacLeod
» Oceans - Bobby Renz
» Double You - The Mini Vandals
» Stuck In The Air - The Tower Of Light
» Marianas - Quincas Moreira

Credits:

#spacex #jameswebb #nasa

[SD-efqp]

We cannot ignore the contribution of truck driver in its success. The feeling he must be having after seeing those images

[topherlions]

I recently relocated and had to move an all tempered glass PC. I thought that was stressful lol

[derek]

I can not imagine how stressful that driver of the truck must have been having an 10 billion dollar telescope in your hands.

[ShawnTheDriver]

Makes me so proud to be a trucker…like I tell people. Every single thing you will ever possibly use ever, will be transported by a truck at some point in its life…even things you personally won’t use, like a massive freaking space telescope.

[TheJttv]

Small thing, but route scouting would likely have been done by driving the route several times. Likely with a pole car at some point. Satellites and google street view miss a lot of low cables and things.

[JD-]

If I knew all I had to do was build, a multi billion pound space telescope just to get the local pot holes filled, I would’ve done it ages ago.

[macebobkasson]

Some of the best space content out there! Thanks primal!

[mdsr]

The amount research involved is beyond amazing. Scientists are the real superstar of human civilization.

[DomsYouTube]

Imagine the level trust you must have to let one single person drive the truck that is towing the telescope

[joelvanwinkle]

Imagine how stressful it must’ve been for the truck driver hauling the telescope. This wasn’t glassware or action figures this was an extremely delicate space telescope. (Wow 1.3k likes already, thanks)

[RonTon]

I currently work at the NJ facility that coated the mirrors with the gold coating. I didn't personally do it, but I work with those who did. It's pretty cool knowing that.

[jemaradrao]

employer: what's your truck driving experience?
driver: i drove the james webb telescope.
employer: you're over-qualified

[dnangel]

This is just breathtaking. Collaboration really can move us forward. Kudos to the men and women behind the project!

[RobbieBeswick]

the only word that comes to mind after watching this video is wow..
i can't wait for the future of space exploration and new discoveries

[randydewees]

The stuff that is mined isn't beryllium "powder", it's beryllium "ore". There are a couple main kinds. The ore isn't "purified", the ore is beryllium metal that is chemically bound into various minerals, and the beryllium metal has to be extracted from the ore by complicated chemical and thermal processing. The metal may then be further processed for a particular end product, I would think the beryllium used in the JWT is highly pure.

[The_Pariah]

When this video was done, I stretched out and then looked at them time.
That video was only 8 minutes long?!?!
I felt like I was sitting here for a half an hour.
But not in a bad way like I was bored.
Instead, it was like the creators of this crammed a 30 minute video into 8 minutes.
I learned SO FREAKING MUCH in that short time span.
10/10 video. Well done. Upvoting is pretty much obligatory at this point.

[CerealKiller]

I like how much effort time and money went into this but everyone working on it also knew " it'd be a miracle if it actually gets there" lol crazy but well done, very well done.

[dmurray]

Grain of space sand teleports thru you at 40km/second
"Nothin personal kid"

[walter]

how much my young mind loves to learn and so do this telescope, I knew people put their souls and heart into making this project a success, but i didn't know how MUCH they have put. gotta respect the thousands of people who worked for this✋✋

[ClydeYouTuber]

Great video, I was entertained the entire way through.