About
The James Webb Space Telescope (sometimes called JWST or Webb) is a large infrared telescope with an
approximately 6.5 meter primary mirror. Webb successfully launched from ESA's spaceport in French Guiana on
December 25, 2021 07:20am EST ( 2021-12-25 12:20 GMT/UTC) .
Webb is the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It will study
every phase in the history of our Universe, ranging from the first luminous glows after the Big Bang, to the
formation of solar systems capable of supporting life on planets like Earth, to the evolution of our own Solar
System.
Webb was formerly known as the "Next Generation Space Telescope" (NGST); it was renamed in Sept. 2002 after a
former NASA administrator, James Webb.
Webb is an international collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space
Agency (CSA). The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center managed the development effort. The main industrial partner
is Northrop Grumman; the Space Telescope Science Institute operates Webb after launch.
Several innovative technologies have been developed for Webb. These include a primary mirror made of 18
separate segments that unfold and adjust to shape after launch. The mirrors are made of ultra-lightweight
beryllium. Webb's biggest feature is a tennis court sized five-layer sunshield that attenuates heat from the
Sun more than a million times. The telescope's four instruments - cameras and spectrometers - have detectors
that are able to record extremely faint signals. One instrument (NIRSpec) has programmable microshutters,
which enable observation up to 100 objects simultaneously. Webb also has a cryocooler for cooling the
mid-infrared detectors of another instrument (MIRI) to a very cold 7 K so they can work.
Source
Timeline
September 1989
NGST workshop at STScl
"The Next Generation: A 10 m Class UV-Visible-IR Successor to HST" workshop is held at STScl to discuss the opportunities and challenges of the next mission beyond Hubble.
September 1993
HST and Beyond committee appointed by AURA
At the behest of the Space Telescope Institute Council, and with support from NASA, AURA appoints the "HST and Beyond" committee to study possible missions and programs for UVOIR astronomy in space for the first decades of the twenty-first century.
January 1995 - December 1996
Committee recommends space telescope
The HST & Beyond Committee's report recommends, as a successor to Hubble, a significantly larger telescope with capabilities in the ultraviolet-optical-infrared (UVOIR) range. NASA selects Goddard Space Flight Center and the Space Telescope Science Institute to study its feasibility. Three independent government and aerospace teams determine that such an observatory is feasible.
June 1997
Industry study teams are formed
NASA selects teams from the GSFC, TRW, and Ball Aerospace to explore the telescope's possible technical design and estimate financial requirements.
August 1998
Yardstick design proposed
“The Next Generation Space Telescope: Visiting the Time When Galaxies Were Young” report laid out the yardstick design that showed a telescope like JWST was possible and provided information allowing NASA to issue the calls for proposal to industry. The report included input from a Science Oversight Committee chaired by Prof. R. Kennicut, NASA centers, academia, and industrial partners.
July 1999
NASA identifies engineering firms and international partners
NASA chooses Lockheed Martin and TRW (which became Northrop Grumman Space Technology/Ball Aerospace in 2002) to conduct “Phase A” mission studies, preliminary analysis of the design, and cost. Instrument studies also include the participation of international partners — the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.
August 2002
James Webb Space Telescope gets its name
Based on two “Phase A” studies, NASA selects the design of TRW/Ball Aerospace to continue in “Phase B” detailed design studies, which examine the performance and cost of the chosen design. The telescope is renamed from the Next Generation Space Telescope to the James Webb Space Telescope. TRW, bought by Northrop Grumman, becomes Northrop Grumman Space Technology. NASA forms the Science Working Group to work in collaboration with the JWST Project, NASA Headquarters, and the astronomical community to provide coherent scientific leadership during the formulation, design, and early scientific operation of the JWST. NASA also identifies the team responsible for developing the Near Infrared Camera.
March 2004
Construction begins
Construction begins on certain telescope parts that require extensive, long-term work — in particular, Webb's science instruments and the 18 segments of the primary mirror.
February 2005
JWST Science Working Group defines requirements
The JWST Science Working Group formally approves the science requirements that will drive the design of the mission.
April 25, 2005
Ariane 5 rocket approved
NASA approves the use of the European Space Agency-provided Ariane 5 rocket to launch Webb into its operating orbit.
August 2006
First instruments pass design reviews
The science instrument teams for the Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) pass their critical design reviews and initiate construction of the flight instruments. All Webb's essential technologies are tested successfully under flight conditions.
January 2007 — December 2008
Main construction begins
NASA has the mission reviewed by internal and external groups. The internal “preliminary design review” and external “non-advocate review” concludes that the plans and designs have reached the maturity needed for NASA to commit to phases C and D. Phases C and D entail detailed design, procurement, testing, and assembly of telescope and observatory components. Construction begins in earnest.
July 2009
Launch tests begin
The Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) structure, which will house Webb's four science instruments, arrives at Goddard Space Flight Center for testing. These tests will verify the ISIM's ability to survive launch and the extreme cold of space, and to precisely hold the science instruments in the correct positions with respect to the telescope.
March 2010
Design review passed
The James Webb Space Telescope passes its Mission Critical Design Review, which signifies that the integrated observatory will meet all science and engineering requirements for its mission. The sunshield also passes its critical design review, certifying that its design is complete and meets mission requirements.
November 2011
Mirrors completed
Webb's mirrors are completed. They have been polished and coated in gold, and they have passed cryogenic testing, which exposed them to the frigid temperatures they'll be subjected to in space.
January 2012
Goddard collects instruments
Goddard Space Flight Center receives two of Webb's four science instruments, the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) and the Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS), as well as Webb's Fine Guidance Sensor, from the European and Canadian space agencies. Webb's secondary mirror and the first three primary mirror segments also arrive at Goddard Space Flight Center from Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. Northrop Grumman and partner ATK finish constructing the center section of Webb's backplane structure, which will hold the telescope's primary mirror segments.
February 2013
JWST assembly continues
The two side “wings” of Webb's backplane structure are completed by ATK and Northrop Grumman. Webb's two final science instruments, the Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec), as well as the remaining primary mirror segments will be delivered to Goddard Space Flight Center.
July 2014
Manufacturing and cryogenic testing
The 2014 period focuses on manufacturing the spacecraft and cryogenic testing. Northrop Grumman tests a full-scale engineering model of the sunshield to demonstrate the precision-folding and -unfolding necessary to protect the mirror and instruments from heat once in space. Manufacturing of the spacecraft parts, such as fuel tanks, gyroscopes and solar panels, begins. Cryogenic testing of the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM), including all four instruments, demonstrates the performance of the instruments as well as the electronics used to communicate with the instruments.
October 07, 2015
Primary mirrors mounted
The 18 primary mirror segments are mounted into the backplane, along with the secondary mirror and support struts.
March 2016
Optical telescope element completed
The primary and secondary mirrors are integrated with the aft mirrors and the ISIM to create the unit known as the Optical Telescope Element.
December 2017
Final testing of telescope and instruments
Final test of the integrated telescope and science instruments at Johnson Space Center completed.
November 2020
Cycle 1 General Observers (GO) proposal deadline
At least 1170 GO proposals were received in response to the JWST Cycle 1 Call for Proposals.
December 2021
JWST Launch
Launched on December 25, 2021
July 12, 2022
Webb's First Images released
With the end of commissioning and the release of Webb's first images, the start of science officially begins.