Space telescopes·NASA / ESA / CSA

James Webb

ActiveLaunched in 2021·L2 — 1.5M km

The most powerful telescope ever built. Observes the universe in infrared light and can detect the glow of the first galaxies formed after the Big Bang.

Main objectives

Observe the early universe in infrared light (first galaxies, newborn stars).
Study the atmospheres and formation of exoplanets.
Extend and surpass Hubble's capabilities beyond the visible spectrum.

Did you know?

Its collecting area is 6× larger than Hubble. It is cooled passively to −233 °C beneath a sunshield the size of a tennis court.

Timeline

Dec 25, 2021

Launch

Lifted off aboard an Ariane 5 from Kourou, French Guiana.

Jan 24, 2022

L2 orbit insertion

Reached 1.5 million km from Earth.

Jul 12, 2022

Public first light

SMACS 0723 deep field, deeper than Hubble.

Instruments

[04]

NIRCam

Near-infrared camera, the primary imaging instrument.

MIRI

Mid-infrared instrument (5 to 28 µm).

NIRSpec

Multi-object near-infrared spectrograph.

FGS / NIRISS

Fine guidance sensor and slitless imaging.

Specifications

Mass6,500 kg

Power2 kW

Sunshield5 layers, 21 × 14 m

Primary mirror6.5 m (18 hexagonal segments)

Discoveries

[10]

Official sources

NASA↗ESA↗