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NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has successfully deployed its giant primary mirror, putting the new observatory one big step closer to being ready for launch in 2021. The entire 256-inch (6.5 meters) primary mirror assembly unfurled into the same configuration that it would be after deploying in space. This critical test took place in early March, right before NASA's centers shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. Work on the Webb telescope was temporarily halted on March 20.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope mission: Live updates

By Space.com Staff published

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is scheduled to launch no earlier than Dec. 25, 2021.

A graphic depicts the James Webb Space Telescope with its sunshield unfurled.

James Webb Space Telescope team taking a rest day before sunshield tensioning begins

By Meghan Bartels published

To celebrate the new year, consider taking a day to rest.

december 2021 night sky Third Quarter Moon

Best night sky events of January 2022 (stargazing maps)

By Chris Vaughan published

See what's up in the night sky for January 2022, including stargazing events and the moon's phases, in this Space.com gallery courtesy of Starry Night Software.

Netflix teaser picture

The best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in January

By Scott Snowden published

A veritable treasure trove of sci-fi is available at your fingertips.

An astrophotography student stands before the Milky Way galaxy and the bright planet Jupiter during an astrophotography workshop in Campinho, Portugal, on May 5, 2019.

The best night sky events to see in 2022

By Joe Rao published

Here are some of the more noteworthy sky events that will take place this upcoming year.

The Hubble Space Telescope captured this photo of NGC 1755, a small stellar cluster located in the constellation Dorado.

Space photos: The most amazing images this week!

By Doris Elin Urrutia published

See the best photos on Space.com this week.

Hubble took pictures of the oldest galaxies it could – seen here – but the James Webb Space Telescope can go back much farther in time.

The top space stories of the week!

By Doris Elin Urrutia published

The dino-killing asteroid caused years of darkness on Earth and NASA's newly-launched space telescope uncovers its sunshield. These are some of the top stories this week from Space.com.

dwarf planet ceres

On This Day in Space! Jan. 1, 1801: Giuseppe Piazzi discovers Ceres

By Hanneke Weitering published

On Jan. 1, 1801, a Sicilian astronomer named Giuseppe Piazzi discovered the dwarf planet Ceres orbiting the sun between Mars and Jupiter. See how it happened in our On This Day In Space video series.

An orbital sunrise is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 262 miles above Bolivia on the South American continent.

Astronauts ring in New Year aboard space station to welcome 2022

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

The astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station are marking the New Year, becoming only the 37th crew in history to be in space as Earth begins another revolution around the Sun.

The sunshield of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is seen here fully unfurled during prelaunch testing on Earth. Webb unfolded the sunshield in space on Dec. 31, 2021.

James Webb Space Telescope unfurls massive sunshield in major deployment milestone

By Mike Wall published

The $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope unfolded its huge sunshield on Friday (Dec. 31), pulling the five-layer structure out by sequentially deploying two booms.

The International Space Station as pictured from a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule during a November 2021 fly around. The White House has directed NASA to extend space station operations through 2030.

White House directs NASA to extend International Space Station operations through 2030

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

But the outpost's other partners have to sign on as well.

The radio jellyfish is more than 1 million light-years wide.

The 10 strangest space structures discovered in 2021

By Brandon Specktor published

The closer we look at the universe, the more beautiful and baffling it becomes. Here are the 10 most epic space structures discovered in 2021.

NASA astronaut Mark Vandei Hei demonstrates orbital acrobatics as his Expedition 65 crewmate Shane Kimbrough looks on during an educational downlink from the International Space Station.

Watch 9 awesome moments with NASA astronauts in space in 2021

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

In-flight education downlinks are chances for students to interact with astronauts on the International Space Station. Here are the nine most memorable downlink moments of 2021, as ranked by NASA.

Lego Star Wars Darth Vader Helmet Collectible Building Toy

Lego Star Wars helmet sets are up to $14 off with these year-end deals!

By Space.com Staff published

Deals Lego Star Wars helmet building sets that feature Scout Trooper and Darth Vader headgear are currently on sale.

Deals
The eight toroid magnets of the ATLAS detector at CERN.

2021: a year physicists asked, 'What lies beyond the Standard Model?'

By Aaron McGowan published

The Standard Model explains the physics of how the world works. But in 2021, physicists started probing fundamental gaps in this long-established concept.

Lego Star Wars: The Mandalorian Trouble on Tatooine 75299 Building Toy for Kids (276 Pieces)

These Lego Star Wars 'The Mandalorian' sets are up to $12 off in Walmart/Target deals

By Space.com Staff published

Deals The holiday season may be almost over, but Star Wars streaming has just begun!

Deals
NASA's Perseverance rover acquired this image of the Ingenuity Mars helicopter on the floor of Jezero Crater.

2021 was an epic year for Mars exploration

By Mike Wall published

During this very eventful year, two nations joined the Mars club, a robot plied Red Planet skies for the first time ever and humanity kicked off an ambitious interplanetary sample-return campaign.

Top 10 spaceflight stories of 2021

By Amy Thompson published

From landing on Mars to launching private citizens into space, and everything in between, this year has seen many historic milestones and giant leaps.

9 things we learned about aliens in 2021

By Brandon Specktor published

A bombshell UFO report, the "alien junk" in our solar system, and more new clues about extraterrestrial life.

The searing-hot planet 55 Cancri e likely has a thick atmosphere with a similar composition to that of Earth, a new study suggests.

The 10 biggest exoplanet discoveries of 2021

By Doris Elin Urrutia published

These are some of the top exoplanet discoveries made in 2021.