The Syensqo company, comprising the solutions, activities and markets represented in the article below, was spun off from Solvay group in December 2023.
The James Webb telescope will dive into our universe’s past
The James Webb Space Telescope, launched on Christmas Day 2021 to observe the first stars that lit up the universe, is now revealing its first full-color images and spectroscopic data. NASA released these unprecedented and detailed views of the universe – specifically space objects such as the Carina Nebula, the Southern Ring Nebula and Stephan’s Quintet – via live broadcast on Tuesday, 12 July, 2022 and simultaneously on social media and on the agency’s website.
Built by the Canadian, American and European space agencies, the James Webb telescope represents a significant milestone in space exploration. It was dubbed as the next generation Hubble telescope, as it was designed to be 100 times more powerful than its predecessor. On 25 December 2021, the world watched in awe as it was lifted off into space by an Ariane V rocket and only 30 minutes later confirmed its flight into orbit.
“As a long-standing partner to the aerospace industry, our experts know and understand the extreme environments and performance requirements needed to deliver ground-breaking missions like the James Webb telescope launch.”
Bjorn Ballien, Space and Launch Marketing Manager.
Legacy materials for outer space
Space exploration requires highly advanced lightweight materials that can withstand extreme environments, and Solvay has a strong legacy in this field. As a matter of fact, its materials have been used in countless space missions since the 1960s.
“As a long-standing partner to the aerospace industry, our in-house experts know and understand the extreme environments and performance requirements needed to deliver ground-breaking missions like the James Webb telescope launch,” explains Bjorn Ballien, Space and Launch Marketing Manager.
As a company, we are proud that Solvay’s materials were on the rocket that transported the James Webb telescope into orbit. We supplied carbon fiber prepregs for the rocket’s payload fairing, manufactured by Swiss company Beyond Gravity, as well as various ablative materials and structural adhesives.
The payload fairing is the nose cone that protects the precious cargo transported by the rocket, namely the telescope itself. Ablatives are materials designed to char in the rocket’s exhaust nozzle in order to protect the parts under them, and adhesives are crucial to ensure the solidity of its overall structure.
“The successful launch of the James Webb telescope was an incredible achievement,” says Bjorn. “This really is pushing the boundaries of space exploration for scientific progress.”
