JWST

The James Webb Space Telescope (sometimes called JWST) will be a large infrared telescope with a 6.5-meter (21 feet 4 inches) primary mirror.

It has a target launch date between 2018-2020 on an Ariane 5 to palce it at the Earth–Sun Lagrange 2 ( L2)

The JWST primary mirror is made up of 18 hexagonal-shaped beryllium, gold-coated mirror segments 1.32 meters (4.3 feet) in diameter

So far each segment has cost almost $400m each, just one segment cost approaching the Original total $500m cost proposed for the JWST in 1997

For reference the Hubble Space Telescope with a 2.4 meter mirror cost $2.5b, but with on-orbit upgrades(vital as Hubble's mirror was made wrong) was similar total cost of around $8b.

The JWST being at L2 instead of LEO will not be able to be serviced as the Hubble was.

On board are four main instruments designed to search for light from the furthest stars and galaxies in the Universe, to study the formation and evolution of galaxies, to understand the formation of stars and planetary systems and to study planetary systems and the origins of life.

  • Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam)

  • Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec)

  • Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI)

  • Fine Guidance Sensor/ Near InfraRed Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (FGS/NIRISS)

Despite the vast cost overruns (now around $8.5band delays the science will be amazing.

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)