Our upcoming infrared space observatory, @NASAWebb, will launch in 2021. It will spy the first luminous objects that formed in the universe and shed light on how galaxies evolve and many other mysteries. Dive deeper with this advanced Q&A: https://bit.ly/2LJYSR5 pic.twitter.com/Q66J8v7myM
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Testing the whole observatory at once at thermal vacuum is extraordinarily difficult if not infeasible. Even with significant upgrades Plum Brook probably wouldn't achieve the boundary conditions necessary to get good information. There are other better ways to test. 1/
. Where? 
large enough to test entire system. 
We validated the sunshield design & verified the thermal models by testing a 1/3 scale version in thermal vacuum. We measured heat flow across a flight-like mock-up of the core region of the observatory (thermally it's like "Grand Central Station" for the observatory). 2/
