ICYMI: All You Need to Know About the World's Most Powerful Telescope

As the James Webb Space Telescope cools down to its frigid optimum temperature, FLYING takes a look back at all the milestones this historic technology has achieved.

Jeremy Kariuki

Thursday, April 21, 2022 at 02:54 PM ET

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An Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket launches NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope on December 25, 2021. [Courtesy: NASA/Bill Ingalls]

Key Takeaways:

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) successfully launched in December 2021 and traveled 1 million miles to its final orbit at the L2 Lagrange point.
JWST completed critical deployments, including its tennis court-sized sunshields and 18 gold-coated primary mirror segments, essential for its scientific mission.
The telescope has achieved its target operating temperature of -447 degrees Fahrenheit, crucial for its sensitive infrared instruments to observe the universe without interference.
With deployments complete and operating temperature reached, Webb is currently calibrating its instruments and is expected to deliver its first full scientific images this summer.

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The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is the cumulative effort of thousands of collaborators from around the world, producing the most powerful telescope the world has ever seen.

On April 13, NASA announced Webb’s successful cooldown to operating temperature, negative 447 degrees Fahrenheit, and is now calibrating its instruments to begin taking photos of the first moments after the big bang.
Since Christmas Day 2021, Webb has traveled 1 million miles away from Earth, crossing multiple milestones on its journey. Join FLYING as we break down Webb’s mission thus far.