Once all 17 of these modes are approved, NASA’s Webb Space Telescope can begin scientific operations.
It is understood that the 17 modes are near-infrared camera (NIRCam) imaging, NIRCam wide-field gapless spectroscopy, NIRCam coronary angiography, NIRCam time series observation-imaging, NIRCam time series observation–grating, near-infrared spectrometer (NIRSpec) Multi-Object Spectroscopy, NIRSpec Fixed Slit Spectroscopy, NIRSpec Integrating Field Unit Spectrometer, NIRSpec Bright Object Time Series, Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrometer (NIRISS) Single Object Slitless Spectrometer, NIRISS Wide Field Slitless Spectrometer, NIRISS Aperture Shading Interferometry, NIRISS Imaging, Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) Imaging, MIRI Low Resolution Spectroscopy, MIRI Moderate Resolution Spectroscopy, MIRI Canopy Imaging.
For each model, they also selected a representative instance of the scientific target they will observe during Webb Science’s first year, the team said. Each mode will be used on many targets, and most Webb science targets will be observed with more than one instrument and/or mode.
