James webb Definition and 13 Threads

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST or "Webb") is a joint NASA–ESA–CSA space telescope that is planned to succeed the Hubble Space Telescope as NASA's flagship astrophysics mission. The JWST will provide improved infrared resolution and sensitivity over Hubble, and will enable a broad range of investigations across the fields of astronomy and cosmology, including observing some of the most distant events and objects in the universe, such as the formation of the first galaxies.
The primary mirror of the JWST, the Optical Telescope Element, is composed of 18 hexagonal mirror segments made of gold-plated beryllium which combine to create a 6.5 m (21 ft) diameter mirror—considerably larger than Hubble's 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) mirror. Unlike the Hubble telescope, which observes in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared (0.1 to 1 μm) spectra, the JWST will observe in a lower frequency range, from long-wavelength visible light through mid-infrared (0.6 to 28.3 μm), which will allow it to observe high redshift objects that are too old and too distant for Hubble to observe. The telescope must be kept very cold in order to observe in the infrared without interference, so it will be deployed in space near the Sun–Earth L2 Lagrange point, and a large sunshield made of silicon-coated and aluminium-coated Kapton will keep its mirror and instruments below 50 K (−223.2 °C; −369.7 °F).The JWST is being developed by NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency. The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is managing the development effort, and the Space Telescope Science Institute will operate Webb after launch. It is named for James E. Webb, who was the administrator of NASA from 1961 to 1968 and played an integral role in the Apollo program. The prime contractor is Northrop Grumman.Development began in 1996 for a launch that was initially planned for 2007 and a 500-million-dollar budget, but the project has had numerous delays and cost overruns, and underwent a major redesign in 2005. The JWST's construction was completed in late 2016, after which its extensive testing phase began. In March 2018, NASA further delayed the launch after the telescope's sunshield ripped during a practice deployment. Launch was delayed again in June 2018 following recommendations from an independent review board. Work on integration and testing of the telescope was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adding further delays. Following work resumption, NASA announced that the launch date had been delayed to 31 October 2021. Problems with the Ariane 5 launch vehicle have threatened to push the launch date back even further to November or early December. The total cost of developing the telescope has increased to over US$10 billion.

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  1. neilparker62

    B Discover Jupiter's Mysteries with James Webb Space Telescope

    In case you didn't see it elsewhere:
  2. V

    The James Webb Space Telescope

    Maybe this is more general discussion, but I am excited / nervous about the upcoming launch of the JWST. https://jwst.nasa.gov/content/webbLaunch/countdown.html I can't wait to see the observations this endeavor will bring!
  3. anorlunda

    Lucy spacecraft and James Webb space telescope

    Apparently, one of the solar arrays on the Lucy spacecraft failed to fully deploy. https://scitechdaily.com/nasas-lucy-stable-in-cruise-mode-problematic-solar-array-is-75-to-95-deployed/ The fault may not be fatal. They may have enough solar power to complete the mission. At the same time...
  4. M

    B Nervous about James Webb Space Telescope?

    The Hubble Telescope helped us to see how enormous the universe really is. We now know from data built up from that that the universe likely has 2 trillion galaxies in it. Now when James Webb gets out their and starts taking better pictures; I’m afraid the count of galaxies will jump to 10 or...
  5. James Webb Space Telescope Launch and Deployment

    James Webb Space Telescope Launch and Deployment

    James Webb Space Telescope launch and deployment sequence
  6. James Webb Space Telescope Instrument Installation

    James Webb Space Telescope Instrument Installation

    Time-lapse video of two dozen engineers and technicians successfully installing the package of science instruments of the James Webb Space Telescope into the telescope structure.
  7. davenn

    Stargazing The James Webb Space Telescope construction

    cool article on the progress of the JWST constructionhttp://www.space.com/31838-james-webb-space-telescope-mirror-assembled.html?cmpid=NL_SP_weekly_2016-2-05Dave
  8. tesselate

    James Webb space telescope and fundamental physics

    Does JWST has any significance in fundamental physics research? What kind of questions would we get answers to?
  9. R

    Stargazing ALMA vs James Webb: Which telescope will reveal more about the universe?

    What are the differences between these telescopes and which telescope will do more for our understanding of the universe? I know that ALMA is a series (66) radio telescopes, however, it also operates with optical telescopes. James Webb is an infrared telescope.
  10. H

    Stargazing Will the James Webb telescope see past the big bang?

    Will the James Webb telescope be able to see beyond the Big Bang in principal? I realize, in reality this is not possible, but I'm curious if it will see as far back as possible, or if the telescope has limits, and eventually we will need a better telescope to truly look deep. Thanks!
  11. B

    Stargazing James Webb Telescope capability ?

    Our Universe is 13.5 Billion Years old approximately. Till now Hubble telescope has discovered galaxy at 13.2 billion light-years ago. Is it possible for James Webb Telescope to discover object or galaxy prior to 13.5 Billion Years old?
  12. S

    Stargazing House Appropriations Committee Kills James Webb Telescope

    Or it might as well be, the result would be the same. Dennis Overbye in the NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/07/science/07webb.html" According to this article (found on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Webb_Space_Telescope" ), the project cost ballooned from $1.6 billion to a current...
  13. M

    Stargazing Is the James Webb Space Telescope Ready to Replace Hubble?

    NASA have definitelly chosen the primary mirror for the JWST. It will be a berylium-based mirror. The JWST will be launched in 2011 to replace the Hubble www.universetoday.com/am/publish/james_webb_mirror_approved.html Woa! I can't wait til then!
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