Table of Contents

James Webb Space Telescope, Successor to Hubble

Slated for launch in 2018, the James Webb Space Telescope, will probe even further into the Universe than the Hubble Space Telescope. Designed to operate in the infrared to detect the first stars, quasars and supernovae of the early universe, the Webb telescope will also allow scientists to study the processes of star and planetary formation with unprecedented sensitivity. This unique combination of wavelength and image quality will guarantee that it will also discover many new phenomena in the Universe.

Positioned 1,5 million km from Earth in the cold darkness of space, the Webb will be able to discover and study objects thousands of times fainter than those seen by current telescopes. Weighing about 6500 kg with a sunshield the size of a tennis court, this enormous space observatory's 6.5-metre primary mirror will be composed of 18 hexagonal panels and will be cooled to an impressive -240 degrees Celsius. The entire telescope will be deployed automatically in space.

JWST is an international collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency.