On Christmas morning, the James Webb telescope – the largest and most powerful space science telescope ever constructed by NASA – began a six-month journey into space.
According to NASA, the infrared telescope was created as part of a joint effort with the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency. During its six-month commission, the telescope is expected to be sent around one million miles from Earth to seek light from galaxies dating from the early universe. It is also expected to explore our solar system and exoplanets, which are planets that orbit other stars.
The Webb launched in Arianespace's Ariane 5 rocket at 7:20 a.m. from the ELA-3 Launch Zone of Europe’s Spaceport at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana. A 21.3-foot primary mirror allows the telescope to study cosmic history.
“The James Webb Space Telescope represents the ambition that NASA and our partners maintain to propel us forward into the future,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “The promise of Webb is not what we know we will discover; it’s what we don’t yet understand or can’t yet fathom about our universe. I can’t wait to see what it uncovers!”
Within five minutes of the launch, ground teams were already receiving telemetry data from Webb, said NASA. Within approximately 30 minutes after launch, Webb unfolded its solar array, which provides power to the observatory. Establishing a communications link with the observatory via the Malindi ground station in Kenya is the next step and ground control at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore will send the first commands to the spacecraft.
Around 12 hours after launch, engineers will start to maneuver the spacecraft towards its destination.
“I want to congratulate the team on this incredible achievement – Webb’s launch marks a significant moment not only for NASA, but for thousands of people worldwide who dedicated their time and talent to this mission over the years,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Webb’s scientific promise is now closer than it ever has been. We are poised on the edge of a truly exciting time of discovery, of things we’ve never before seen or imagined.”
Images from Webb will come in after its six-month commission.
“The launch of the Webb Space Telescope is a pivotal moment – this is just the beginning for the Webb mission,” said Gregory L. Robinson, Webb’s program director at NASA Headquarters. “Now we will watch Webb’s highly anticipated and critical 29 days on the edge. When the spacecraft unfurls in space, Webb will undergo the most difficult and complex deployment sequence ever attempted in space. Once commissioning is complete, we will see awe-inspiring images that will capture our imagination.”
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