wallow , all ye astronomers . Because after years of hold and one thousand million of dollars in overrun , the components of NASA ’s James Webb Space Telescope ( JWST ) are in the end complete . It ’s been a longsighted time coming .
The space telescope ’s huge new primary mirror , the big ever built , was unveiled yesterday at NASA ’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland . With its 18 gold - plated hexagonal mirrors measuring 6.5 meters ( 21.3 feet ) across , it will have 100 times the honor power of Hubble when it launches in 2018 .
Also this workweek , it wasannouncedthat construction of the vast tennis motor hotel - sized sunshield that will protect the telescope ’s eye from the Sun ’s ray was stark . After further testing , the mirror and sunshield will eventually be integrated together .
“ Upon completion , Webb will be the largest and most complex space observatory that anyone on planet Earth has ever built , ” said NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden in astatement .
“ It will capture the imagination and dreaming of millions who dare to look to the sky and wonderment . ”
When it is launched in October 2018 , the JWST will be pose beyond the orbit of the Moon in a region of gravitative stability call Lagrange point in time 2 , or L2 . From here , it will have a splendiferous unobstructed view of the cosmos , returning stunning views of the universe .
Although it ’s billed as the heir to Hubble , it ’s somewhat unlike in that it will observe the universe in infrared , rather than seeable like Hubble . But its size will afford it greater panorama of galaxies , maven , and even exoplanets than we ’ve had before .
Its infrared capabilities will allow it to peer through cosmic detritus into galaxies and planetary scheme . Its 18 mirrors will all work together to capture these purview .
The JWST was in the beginning project to launch by 2011 at a cost of as little as $ 1 billion . Various delay , though , have learn that helix to $ 8.7 billion with a launch seven year later . Thus , the actual launching itself is bound to be nervus - racking . owe to its length , it can not be serviced once it is in space , unlike Hubble , which had legion manned fixture missions to fix break and upgrade it .
In addition to construction being gross , it was also announced yesterday that the JWST had complete aCenter of Curvature test , which essentially tested the telescope ’s optic . Now , there will be months of further testing to ensure the scope can withstand the pressures of launching .
The JWST has been under building for more than 20 years . With this later tidings , last , we ’re one footfall closer to this amazing space observatory becoming operational .
