First spacecraft flight recorder for NASA's James Webb Space Telescope completed

The solid-state electronics unit that will capture the James Webb Space Telescope's science and engineering data has been completed and delivered to Northrop Grumman Corporation by its teammate SEAKR Engineering. Scott Willoughby, the vice president and Webb program manager of Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, explained that this is a very important milestone for the Webb program because without all the Webb-gathered, science data about our universe stored on the onboard solid state recorder, there would be no mission. Operating like a digital video recorder, the spacecraft flight unit records all science data together with continuous engineering ‘state of health’ telemetry for the entire observatory 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor responsible for designing and developing the telescope for NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, and according to senior vice president of Programs, is very happy to be part of this groundbreaking mission.