James Webb Space Telescope
| |
| Artist's rendering of JWST in space | |
| Mission type | Space Observatory |
|---|---|
| Operator | NASA / ESA / CSA |
| Mission duration | 10+ years (planned) |
| Launch date | December 25, 2021 |
| Launch rocket | Ariane 5 |
| Launch site | Guiana Space Centre, Kourou |
| Orbit type | Halo orbit around L2 (Lagrange Point) |
| Telescope type | Infrared |
| Diameter | 6.5 meters |
| Instruments | NIRCam, NIRSpec, MIRI, FGS/NIRISS |
Overview
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is the most powerful space telescope ever built, designed to complement and extend the discoveries of the Hubble Space Telescope. Developed by NASA in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), JWST is optimized for infrared astronomy, enabling it to see the earliest galaxies formed after the Big Bang.
Purpose
JWST was developed to answer key questions about the formation of stars and planets, the evolution of galaxies, and the atmospheres of exoplanets. It can detect extremely faint light from distant cosmic objects that are billions of light-years away.
Key Features
- A **6.5-meter gold-coated beryllium mirror**, over 2.5 times the size of Hubble's.
- Operates primarily in the **infrared spectrum**, which allows it to see through cosmic dust.
- Positioned at the **second Lagrange point (L2)**, approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth.
- Contains **four major instruments**: NIRCam, NIRSpec, MIRI, and FGS/NIRISS.
Scientific Goals
- Detect the first galaxies formed after the Big Bang.
- Study star formation in distant galaxies and nearby nebulae.
- Examine atmospheres of exoplanets for signs of habitability.
- Observe black holes, stellar nurseries, and deep-space structures.
Launch and Deployment
JWST was launched on **December 25, 2021**, aboard an **Ariane 5 rocket** from French Guiana. Its complex deployment process included unfolding its large mirror and sunshield over a period of nearly a month.
Discoveries
Since beginning its science operations in mid-2022, JWST has:
- Captured the most detailed infrared image of the universe to date.
- Detected water vapor and potential biosignatures in exoplanet atmospheres.
- Observed distant galaxies previously unseen by other telescopes.