Powerful James Webb Space Telescope is getting closer to launch

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) -When it comes to technology and scale, nothing compares to the James Webb Space Telescope.

It will be the largest and most complex space science telescope ever built.

When you think of a space telescope, you first might think of the Hubble Telescope. Its circular mirror is about 8 feet across, but the James Webb is about 21 feet.

That’s seven times larger, and the larger the mirror, the better of an image we’ll get back and the farther we’ll be able to look into space.

Now the systems onboard will be so sensitive that it could theoretically detect the heat signature of a bumblebee at a distance of 239,000 miles away or the distance of the Moon. Webb will use its state of the art technology to look back in time at the development of the early universe and study how galaxies develop over time. It will also look at other planets...examining their atmosphere and searching for signs of life.

Webb is scheduled to launch on December 18th at 7:20 am eastern time from the European Spaceport in French Guiana in South America. After the launch, it will spend 30 days getting into its final position located at the Lagrangian 2 point about a million miles away from Earth. It will stay here for its entire 5 + Year mission as it studies the cosmos. For more info on the James Webb Telescope be sure to check out NADA’s website, you can also access a full pdf outlining the history of Webb, its full mission, and all of the technology aboard by clicking here.

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