The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a large, infrared-optimized space telescope that is currently under construction and is scheduled to be launched in late 2021 or early 2022. It is a joint project of NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
The JWST is designed to be the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, and it is expected to be much more powerful than its predecessor. The telescope will have a mirror that is 6.5 meters (21.3 feet) in diameter, which is more than twice the size of Hubble's mirror. It will also have a sun shield the size of a tennis court that will protect the telescope from the heat of the Sun, Earth, and Moon.
The JWST will be positioned in space about 1.5 million kilometers (930,000 miles) from Earth at the second Lagrange point (L2). This location offers a stable, relatively cool environment that will allow the telescope to observe the Universe in unprecedented detail.
The JWST is designed to study a wide range of objects and phenomena in the Universe, including the first galaxies that formed after the Big Bang, the formation and evolution of stars and planetary systems, and the atmospheres of exoplanets. It will use its advanced instruments to observe in the infrared part of the spectrum, which is particularly useful for studying cool objects such as exoplanets and distant galaxies.
The JWST is a complex and ambitious project that has faced several delays and technical challenges. However, if it succeeds in its mission, it has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the Universe and answer some of the biggest questions in astronomy and astrophysics.
