The JWST Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) and Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS)

The Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) is one of the four science instruments on board the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). FGS features two modules: an infrared camera dedicated to fine guiding of the observatory and a science camera module, the Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) covering the wavelength range between 0.7 and 5.0 μm with a field of view of 2.2' X 2.2'. NIRISS has four observing modes: 1) broadband imaging featuring seven of the eight NIRCam broadband filters, 2) wide-field slitless spectroscopy at a resolving power of rv150 between 1 and 2.5 μm, 3) single-object cross-dispersed slitless spectroscopy enabling simultaneous wavelength coverage between 0. 7 and 2.5 μm at Rrv660, a mode optimized for transit spectroscopy of relatively bright (J > 7) stars and, 4) sparse aperture interferometric imaging between 3.8 and 4.8 μm enabling high­ contrast ("' 10^-4) imaging of M < 8 point sources at angular separations between 70 and 500 milliarcsec. This paper presents an overview of the FGS/NIRISS design with a focus on the scientific capabilities and performance offered by NIRISS.