newtboy said:

Watched this on the daily coverage, and DAMN! That was one hell of a save. 5th gear (around 140-150?) sideways in the air!
Some pee definitely came out.
*quality race....for everyone except Hutchinson, who crashed.
*promote some inhuman bike control

oritteropo said:

It might help to start with what the Backplane Pathfinder actually is - it's a non-flight replica of the Webb telescope’s center backplane (that link has more info and pictures).

Chamber A allows simulating the cold environment the real telescope will face in space, and is the same vacuum chamber where Apollo spacecraft were tested.

Now, to answer your question: They are testing the test procedures for the real telescope! (source: NASA). I realise that doesn't exactly answer your question, but I haven't found details of the actual tests they plan to run... so as a distraction, here are some more images - http://jwst.nasa.gov/images_backplane.html

enoch said:

you would be correct my friend,but i am cheating a bit.i grew up in rhode island and burr is from boston.

same diff.we all root for the sox and patriots!