Webb's mirrors were built to withstand micrometeoroids, which are unavoidable in space. In May, a dust-sized hit was larger than tested for. After careful analysis, we've found it to be a rare statistical event. Webb’s optical performance remains twice as good as requirements. ⬇️
ALT The James Webb Space Telescope's honeycomb-like primary mirror in a cleanroom. The mirror has 18 gold-coated hexagonal segments, plus a central black hexagon with a protruding "nose cone." Two black struts, or "arms," are folded up on either side of this nose cone. A single technician wearing a white contamination-controlled suit is at the very left of the image, facing away from the viewer and positioned on an orange crane. The technician's reflection, visible towards the bottom of the mirror, shows them shining a flashlight directly at it. The background is a dark gray-blue.