Scientists are reporting that damage sustained to the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) during a micrometeoroid strike in late May 2022 may be worse than first thought.

In a new paper published in the wake of Webb’s incredible first images last week a group of scientists outlined the performance of the space telescope during its commissioning phase.

As I previously reported Webb’s primary 6.5-meter mirror comprises 18 beryllium-gold segments. One of them, called C3, was struck by small dust particles between May 23 and 25, 2022.

Since launch Webb has been struck by five other, smaller micrometeoroids. One minor strike per month is roughly what engineers predicted pre-launch.

“After initial assessments, the team found the telescope is still performing at a level that exceeds all mission requirements,”

However, the new report suggests that the damage to the C3 segment could be more serious than first thought.

Wavefront sensing refers to the aberrations found in Webb’s optics. “By contrast, the micrometeoroid which hit segment C3 in the period 22—24 May 2022 UT caused significant uncorrectable change in the overall figure of that segment.”

Although it may have enough propellant to last 20 years—a decade longer than previously expected—the engineers who designed Webb know that its mirrors and sunshield will unavoidably slowly degrade from micrometeoroid impacts.

It’s also expected that Webb’s detectors will be gradually damaged by charged particles while its sunshield and innovative five-layer insulation will degrade from space weathering.

NASA’s ultra expensive James Webb Space Telescope has already had to endure a dust-sized micrometeoroid impacting with one of its primary mirror segments, roughly a month before the official start of scientific operations.

Fortunately, engineers knew that was going to happen. They designed the telescope’s massive mirror segments to be able to withstand such impacts — but this latest hit was a little too big for comfort, according to a NASA update.