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Satellites

James Webb Space Telescope, Successor to Hubble

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Slated for launch in 2014, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), will probe even further into the Universe than the Hubble Space Telescope. Designed to detect the first stars and quasars of the early universe, JWST will allow scientists to studythe formation and evolution of stars, galaxies and planetary systems with unprecedented accuracy.

Positioned 1,5 million km from Earth in the cold darkness of space, JWST will be able to discover and study objects thousands of times fainter than those seen by current telescopes. Weighing 6800 kg, this enormous space observatory will have a sunshield the size of a tennis court and a 6.5-metre primary mirror, which is composed of 18 hexagonal panels and will be cooled to an impressive -240 degrees Celsius. The entire telescope will be deployed automatically in space.

JWST is an international collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency.