The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is on track for an anticipated 2018 launch. This massive space-based observatory is optimized for infrared wavelengths, which will enable the JWST to look further back in time to see the first galaxies that formed in the early universe and to peer inside dust clouds where stars and planetary systems are forming today. Although JWST images will be infrared, the images can be translated by computer into a visible picture. Additionally, the JWST can see yellow and red visible light. SESDA engineers, scientists, instrument specialists, and computer experts are hard at work testing JWST components. Once launched, the observatory will sit about 1.5 million km (1 million miles) from Earth. For comparison, the Hubble Space Telescope sits in low Earth orbit, about 600 km (375 miles) from Earth. The primary goals of the JWST over its expected 5-10 year mission life are to study galaxy, star, and planet formation in the universe. NASAs Scientific Visualization Studio has produced some great videos about the JWST showing how the observatory will work along with some amazing visualizations of the types of galactic images it might capture. You can see these videos at svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/Gallery/JWST.html
Posted on: Tue, 16 Dec 2014 18:47:42 +0000
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