TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – A six-member crew from the 60th Aerial Port Squadron loaded more than 260,000 pounds of support cargo for the James Webb Telescope onto a C-5M Super Galaxy operated by the 22nd Airlift Squadron bound for French Guiana Sept. 21 and Oct. 1, 2021, at March Air Reserve Base, California.
The crew from the 60 APS traveled to March ARB to configure and load cargo that will be used in the launch of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope into orbit.
“Opportunities like this give us a chance to showcase our flexibility,” said Tech. Sgt. Raphael Milton, 60th APS non-commissioned officer in charge of load planning and data records. “As a load planner, not only can we inspect and plan the cargo load, but we can also build and move cargo.”
The James Webb Space Telescope, sometimes called JWST or Webb, is an orbiting infrared observatory that will complement and extend the discoveries of the Hubble Space Telescope, with longer wavelength coverage and greatly improved sensitivity, as explained on the James Webb Space Telescope NASA website.
The Webb Telescope successfully arrived in French Guiana Tuesday Oct. 12, 2021, after a 16-day journey at sea, according to NASA’s website.
The telescope currently holds the title as the world’s largest space telescope, measuring over 60 feet. Its projected launch date is Dec. 18, 2021.
To find more information on the James Webb Space Telescope, visit https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/