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Behind the Webb: Not So Heavy Metal (Episode 9)
The primary mirror segments of the Webb telescope, along with its secondary and tertiary mirrors, are not made of glass like most mirrors on Earth. They are made of beryllium, a relatively rare metal that is only mined and processed in one place in the western hemisphere. Behind the Webb's Mary Estacion travels to the West Desert of Utah to take a look at what it takes to extract this unique ore.
- Release DateJanuary 13, 2011
- CreditVideo: NASA, Mary Estacion (STScI)
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Last Updated
Aug 28, 2025
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Media
Laura Betz
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
laura.e.betz@nasa.gov
Video Credit
NASA, Mary Estacion (STScI)






