Timeline of the James Webb Space Telescope

The first six primary mirror segments being prepared for final cryogenic acceptance testing, 2011
The 18 main mirror segments for JWST in special shipping cans, 2012
Backplane being transported to California, 2013
Vacuum Chamber A prepared for the James Webb Space Telescope, 2014
Main mirror assembled, May 2016

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is an international 21st-century space observatory that was launched on 25 December 2021.[1][2] It is intended to be the premier observatory of the 2020s, combining the largest mirror yet on a near-infrared space telescope with a suite of technologically advanced instruments from around the world.[3]

The telescope is designed to last at least five and a half years (six months calibration plus five years science operations), but with a goal of ten years.[4] The limiting factor is expected to be fuel to maintain its halo orbit, of which there is enough for at least ten years.[4]

It was announced in December 2021 that due to the accuracy of the orbital insertion and course correction burns, the telescope had more fuel available than originally planned and could operate for "significantly" longer than the original ten year planned life span.[5]

JWST cost approximately $10 billion in its design, construction, and five years of operations (does not include extended mission funding), as well as international contributions.[6][7]

  1. ^ "NASA Sets Coverage, Invites Public to View Webb Telescope Launch". nasa.gov. 17 December 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  2. ^ "New JWST launch update". NASA.gov. 21 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  3. ^ "The James Webb Space Telescope". Explore James Webb Space Telescope. NASA. Archived from the original on 1 June 2006. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  4. ^ a b "The James Webb Space Telescope". www.asu.edu.
  5. ^ "NASA Says Webb's Excess Fuel Likely to Extend its Lifetime Expectations – James Webb Space Telescope". blogs.nasa.gov. 29 December 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Manufacturing Issues Plague James Webb Space Telescope". SpaceNews. 15 November 2014.
  7. ^ Witze, Alexandra (27 March 2018). "NASA reveals major delay for $11.23-billion Hubble successor". Bibcode:2018Natur.556...11W. doi:10.1038/d41586-018-03863-5. Retrieved 27 March 2018.