Raytheon Technologies announced that its James Webb Space Telescope Flight Operations Subsystem Development Team was recognized with a NASA Group Achievement Award for its contributions in developing the Webb Flight Operations Subsystem.
The NASA Group Achievement Award recognizes the team's achievements and their impact on the success of the Webb mission.
The Flight Operations Subsystem is vital for the James Webb Space Telescope's smooth and efficient functioning. Developed by Raytheon, its core software handles command and control, telemetry analysis, ground contact scheduling, observation plan management, and data retrieval for astronomers and the scientific community worldwide. In orbit, the ground control software monitors observatory health and performance, providing valuable insights to the Mission Operations team.
The team's technical skills, innovative approach and dedication in developing this subsystem contributed significantly to Webb's success in its groundbreaking discoveries, which will ultimately lead to new science and unlocking the mysteries of the universe.
"This team persevered through many extraordinary challenges over a long period of time to bring the JWST operations center into fruition, we are incredibly proud they received the NASA Group Achievement Award and are being recognized on a national level," said Sandy Brown, Raytheon Technologies vice president of Digital and Mission Solutions.
On May 24, 2023, Walt Burns, who served as the Raytheon Technologies Webb program manager from 2003 to 2022, accepted the award on behalf of the entire team at the 2022 NASA Honor Awards Ceremony held at Goddard Space Flight Center, Maryland.
After accepting the award, Burns said: "This recognition highlights NASA's appreciation for our team's exceptional efforts in developing the Flight Operations Subsystem for the James Webb Space Telescope. I want to express my gratitude to each member of the team for their creativity, perseverance and personal sacrifices that have ensured the FOS played a vital role in the mission's accomplishments."
The subsystem went operational on Dec. 25, 2022, during Webb's launch, providing 24 hour a day, seven days a week command and control capabilities. Currently, the Flight Operations Subsystem supports more than 200 international external users worldwide.
