NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has a 6.5 diametre primary mirror, much bigger than its predecessor, the Hubble Space Telescope.
NASA/Chris Gunn
A NASA engineer inspects the thermal shield of the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), one of four science instruments that will fly aboard the James Webb Space Telescope.
NASA/Chris Gunn
Scientists inspect the Webb's primary mirror engineering design unit.
NASA/Chris Gunn
Each mirror is made of gold-plated beryllium, a strong but lightweight metal, to capture faint infrared light. They are fitted together to form a hexagonal primary mirror. Actuators on the back of each mirror allow them to be moved to finetune Webb's view.
NASA/Chris Gunn
NASA engineer Ernie Wright looks on as the first six primary mirror segments are prepared to begin final cryogenic testing.
NASA/MSFC/David Higginbotham
The James Webb Space Telescope's sunshield comprises five ultra-thin layers of a specially made composite material called Kapton to help cool the instruments.
David Higginbotham
The James Webb Space Telescope arrives at the European Space Agency launch site at Kourou, French Guiana, where it is placed inside the Ariane 5 rocket.
NASA/Chris Gunn
The James Webb Telescope sunshield successfully unfolds during testing.
NASA/Chris Gunn
An artist's impression of the James Webb Space Telescope as it emerges from the Ariane rocket.
ESA / D. Ducros
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope launched on December 25, 2021.
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Born in England, I've lived in Switzerland since 1994. I trained as a graphic designer in Zurich between 1997 – 2002. More recently I have moved on to work as photo editor and joined the team at swissinfo.ch in March 2017.
Scientists say the replacement for the Hubble Space Telescope may usher in a new era in astronomy as it gathers information on the universe’s earliest stages, star formation, and whether planets beyond our solar system may be suitable for life.
The orbiting infrared observatory, designed to be about 100 times more sensitive than the Hubble, is due to blast off on an Ariane 5 rocket from a site in French Guiana on South America’s northeastern coast.
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