James Webb Telescope helps enhance technology from virtual reality to LASIK eye surgery

The James Webb Telescope is delivering amazing photos of space like we’ve never seen before.

"It’s a new window into the history of our universe," President Joe Biden said during an unveiling of the first photographs.

The telescope has exceeded scientist’s expectations in what they are learning and seeing. Some of the most recent discoveries are of three galaxies that may be actively forming.

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"Some of the most beautiful things that you've seen," Administrator Bill Nelson said. "We’ve discovered how stars are formed… We have pictures now of the death of stars. We're beginning to understand what black holes are, these things that are so fierce in their gravitational pull that they suck everything into it, including light. There's so much that we don't know, but things like the James Webb Space Telescope just add one more thing in our knowledge of who we are and what we are and where we are."

The technology has improved our vision of space, while also helping improve vision for millions on Earth.

"We needed to understand how to make and polish these mirrors perfectly and understand the curvature," said NASA Technology Transfer Program Executive Daniel Lockney. "Johnson and Johnson needed to understand how to do precision work on an eyeball."

The optics in James Webb have helped improve technology in the Lasik Eye Surgery system.

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"The optics on that are just phenomenal," Lockney said. "Anything that uses optics now at a high level of quality can benefit from those advances."

NASA says the technology has helped improve cameras and virtual reality headsets.

"That's the transfer of what we do in our research and development out into everyday life that helps people's lives here on Earth," Nelson said.

While space is a frequent storyline for top Hollywood movies, it is now part of every Academy Award. The same gold that was used in Webb is now also used for Oscar statues. Gold is highly reflective and does not tarnish or change over time. This makes it the perfect metal for space. NASA partner Epner Technology began using the same Webb gold in the awards in 2016.

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"Each discovery is a new, fundamental way of doing things. And how do you get from here to there?," Nelson said. "Once we learn that, we know that we can go do something different in the way that we are approaching something."

Scientists are unable to repair or service the James Webb Telescope so they needed the correct software and testing to ensure it would last.

"James Webb Space Telescope is a really fascinating feat of human advancement. It really pushed the envelope," said Ansys President of Government Initiatives Kevin Flood. "When you have a system like that, everything that supports the design and operation of that system has to level up at the same time."

Ansys creates simulation software that helps companies prepare for possible scenarios their products may encounter.

"They had to consider all the potential paths that they could choose to get the satellite in its unique orbit, and then make sure that it stayed there," Flood said.

Ansys software has since helped improve simulation across the industry. The technology is used in microchips, satellite systems and medical devices.

"At this point, there's almost nothing that we can't simulate, which is very valuable for space applications because the harsh space environment is hard to replicate in physical testing when that's being done on Earth," Flood said. "It’s pulling everybody forward at the same time. And James Webb is a great example of how the community really came together, both nationally in the U.S., but also globally."