The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has become something of a celebrity here on Earth, and rightly so. After decades of development, the $10 billion deep space observatory promises to uncover the mysteries of the universe in ways never before possible. Plus, let's be honest, it looks ridiculously cool.
So is it really any wonder that people would want to display some of this wonder on their walls? No, it's not the real thing, but it's a JWST version created by (James Kiefer) and (Ryan Kramer). This representation of Lord Miller certainly gets the point across.
I used a CNC router to cut the outline from 1/2 inch MDF and added a 1mm deep pocket on the face to accept a hexagonal gold acrylic mirror. At first, I thought the mirror was also a custom item, but to my slight surprise, it seems that golden hexagonal mirrors are popular enough in the home decoration scene that they are easily available online for cheap. Everyone's favorite leading online bookstore has become a global superpower, so a quick check and you'll find that each book sells for just $0.50.
When you apply black paint to MDF, the finished product really looks like the part. However, we imagine it to be quite heavy and wonder what would have happened if the back panel had been cut from thick foam board.
Of course, this isn't a very difficult design to recreate if needed, but I still appreciate that the two decided to release both the Fusion 360 project file and the exported STL to the public. . It seems natural to make this symbol of science and discovery available to as many people as possible.
After a dramatic launch on Christmas Day and a perilous flight through deep space, JWST performed flawlessly. It will still be a few months before we can finally see what this high-tech telescope is capable of, but it has already managed to capture the imagination of people around the world.