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JWST Pathfinder in front of Chamber A
Photograph of a person standing in front of six hexagonal mirror segments.
Diagram showing the path that light takes from its source in space to the instruments inside the Webb telescope.

Optical Telescope Element (OTE)

The Optical Telescope Element (OTE) is the eye of the James Webb Space Telescope Observatory. The OTE gathers the light coming from space and provides it to the science instruments. The OTE consists of the mirrors as well as structures and subsystems that support the optics.

Primary Mirror and Support Structure

18 Hexagonal Segments, 6.5 meter diameter

SECondary Mirror and Support Structure

Round, .74 meter diameter

AFT Optics Subsystem

Tertiary and Fine Steering Mirrors

THERMAL MANAGEMeNT SYSTEM

The OTIS out of cryovac chamber at NASA Johnson.
The OTIS (OTE+ISIM) out of cryovac chamber at NASA Johnson. The OTIS is an acronym that includes the OTE plus the Integrated Science Instrument (ISIM) package - essentially the optics and science instruments.
NASA/Chris Gunn

The Webb Observatory is the space-based portion of the James Webb Space Telescope system. It is comprised of the Optical Telescope Element (OTE), the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM), the sunshield and the spacecraft bus.

2 3d rendering views of the Webb space telescope from the rear quarter and from below front quarter labelling with the major components.
Webb Observatory major components.

The OTE Consists Of:

OTE engineering diagram
OTE Engineering Diagram

The Story of Webb's Build in Photos

James Webb Space Telescope Primary Mirror Prepared for Testing at Johnson Space Center