Dark matter, dark energy, the Big Bang, testing relativity -- all are physics questions accessible to astrophysicists -- but all require new equipment. As Harwit's "Cosmic Discovery" pointed out, almost all great surprises in astronomy came from new equipment or new uses of equipment designed for other purposes, and many of those had military applications. I will outline prospects for new equipment and discuss how that equipment can be developed and built. Bigger and lighter mirrors, wavefront sensing and control, new detector technology, cryogenics -- each has its own social network, its own special possibilities, and its own funding sources outside science. I will discuss some examples drawn from real-life experience with the James Webb Space Telescope, a telescope that was said to have a "giggle factor" when it was proposed in 1995. Now each of the 10 major technologies has been brought to maturity, flight hardware is being built, and launch is planned for 2014. As an instrument builder all my life, I will speculate a little on what may be within our reach over the next few decades.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Basic Physics Questions Addressed by Astrophysics


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    Leigh-Page Prize Lectures


    Publication date :

    2009-01-01


    Type of media :

    Miscellaneous


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English


    Keywords :


    Ongoing Space Physics - Astrophysics Connections

    Eichler, D. / COSPAR | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2006


    Gravitational Astrophysics and Fundamental Physics

    Bender, P. L. / University of New Mexico; School of Engineering; Institute for Space and Nuclear Power Studies | British Library Conference Proceedings | 1997



    Ongoing space physics – Astrophysics connections

    Eichler, David | Online Contents | 2006


    Spent Fuel of Decommissioned Nuclear Submarines: Questions to be Addressed

    Tournyol Du Clos, A. / NATO Public Diplomacy Division | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2006