Series 2 Episode 4: Launching the James Webb Space Telescope with Carl Starr

We’ve all marvelled at the images of deep space and distant galaxies, but what did it take to get the James Webb Space Telescope into orbit? One man who can answer that question better than any other is Carl Starr, who up until recently was the Mission Operations Manager for the JWST. In this episode he explains what it was like building the team in the early days of the telescope’s design process. He tells us about the emotionally charged moment when the telescope first beamed back blobs of light. And he explains why he’s left the project now to work for Millennium Space Systems.

Carl will be featuring on the 2022/23 Live Interview Series – if you’re signed up to the competition then book your place now!

Alice’s Magic Cover is our prototype of the week. Simple but genius, this piece of kit is a reusable way of covering a child’s earrings up during PE lessons or while they sleep. We hear from Anne Nortcliffe from Canterbury Christ Church University.

Thanks to the children from Lisnasharragh primary school in Northern Ireland, who shared their engineering ideas with us.

And if you have an answer to our problem send your thoughts to [email protected] or comment on Twitter.

This week it comes from Andrew from National Grid: “How can we regenerate nature after construction work finishes?”

If you’d like to get in touch, follow us on Twitter @Leadersaward, @primaryengineer and head over to our Primary Engineer You Tube Channel and be inspired!

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