James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a large, infrared-optimized space telescope, scheduled to be launched in March 2021. It will be the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope and the most powerful telescope ever built. JWST will observe the most distant objects in the universe, as well as provide unprecedented insight into the formation of stars and galaxies.
The James Webb Space Telescope is a collaborative project between NASA, ESA (the European Space Agency), and CSA (the Canadian Space Agency). The telescope is named after James E. Webb, who served as NASA’s second administrator from 1961 to 1968.
The primary mirror of JWST is 6.5 meters (21 feet) in diameter, which is about three times larger than that of Hubble. The increased size and sensitivity will allow JWST to collect more light than any other telescope, making it ideal for studying very faint objects at great distances.
JWST will be launch atop an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana. After reaching orbit approximately 1 million miles (1.6 million kilometers) from Earth, JWST will unfold its sunshield and deploy its primary mirror. Once operational, JWST will be controlled remotely from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, USA.