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James Webb Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope is NASA's largest and most powerful space observatory. The $10 billion space telescope will be the successor to the iconic Hubble Space Telescope. Webb will study several areas of astronomy and cosmology, gazing deep into the cosmos to study how the universe formed. Read the latest news about NASA's James Webb Space Telescope here.

Related Topics: The Big Bang Theory, Black Holes, Stars and Galaxies, Hubble Space Telescope

Latest Updates

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 on its way to L2 to study the universe.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, seen here in an artist's illustration, is wrapping up its month-long deployment process.

James Webb Space Telescope marks deployment of all mirrors

By Meghan Bartels published

NASA's massive new observatory has notched another milestone.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, seen here in an artist's illustration, is aligning the 18 individual mirror segments that make up its huge primary mirror.

Here's how the James Webb Space Telescope is aligning its mirrors in deep space

By Elizabeth Howell published

The James Webb Space Telescope continues to uncurl its mirrors to ultimately peer into the deep and distant universe.

Artist's illustration of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, which launched on Dec. 25, 2021.

What will the James Webb Space Telescope look at first?

By Elizabeth Howell published

As the James Webb Space Telescope begins the lengthy process of aligning its 18 primary mirror segments, astronomers wonder: What will the huge observatory look at first?

The James Webb Space Telescope's 21.3-foot (6.5 meter) diameter primary mirror.

James Webb Space Telescope begins lining up its golden mirrors

By Elizabeth Howell published

Just weeks after the excitement of launch, the James Webb Space Telescope is already seeking focus in space.

An artistic representation of the James Webb Space Telescope with its sunshield deployed.

James Webb Space Telescope should have fuel for about 20 years of science

By Elizabeth Howell published

A precise launch and pinpoint mid-course corrections so far have the telescope ready with plenty of propellant.

An artist's illustration of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope fully unfolded. There is more work ahead after the observatory's deployment before it begins studying the universe.

The James Webb Space Telescope is fully deployed. So what's next for the biggest observatory off Earth?

By Elizabeth Howell published

Work for the James Webb Space Telescope is just beginning after was successfully deployed on Jan. 8.

The mission operations team of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope cheers as the huge observatory unfolded its final mirror segments into place to complete its deployment on Jan. 8, 2022.

'We're on an incredible high': James Webb Space Telescope scientists over the moon as observatory unfolds

By Elizabeth Howell published

From a Christmas launch to a tricky deployment, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is now successfully deployed and scientists are thrilled.

Astrophysicist Gianluca Masi of The Virtual Telescope Project in Italy captured this view of the James Webb Space Telescope soaring through space on Jan. 6, 2022.

Watch the James Webb Space Telescope soar through space in this livestream Saturday

By Doris Elin Urrutia published

The Virtual Telescope Project's webcast begins at 5:30 p.m. EST (2230 GMT).

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, seen here in an artist's illustration, deployed its final primary mirror segment on Jan. 8, 2022, a critical milestone for its mission to study the universe.

James Webb Space Telescope, the biggest ever built, fully unfolds giant mirror to gaze at the cosmos

By Mike Wall published

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope unfolded the second "wing" of its massive primary mirror today (Jan. 8), marking the end of its complex deployment.

This zoomed image of the "mystery hut" spotted by China's Yutu 2 rover in Von Kármán crater on the far side of the moon shows it to be a rabbit-shaped rock called "jade rabbit."

Space photos: The most amazing images this week!

By Doris Elin Urrutia published

See the best photos on Space.com this week.

An animation shows the deployment of the port side of the primary mirror of the James Webb Space Telescope.

James Webb Space Telescope has unfolded 1st wing of massive golden mirror

By Meghan Bartels published

Unfolding the two side wings of the James Webb Space Telescope's golden primary mirror marks the last major task in assembling the observatory.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope separates from its Ariane 5 rocket with the bright blue Earth in the background in this view captured after its launch on Dec. 25, 2021.

Why doesn't the James Webb Space Telescope have any cameras onboard?

By Elizabeth Howell published

Engineers must make do with traditional telemetry because of a lot of practical problems.

An animation showing the deployment of the James Webb Space Telescope's Aft Deployed Instrument Radiator.

James Webb Space Telescope deploys radiator to keep cool

By Meghan Bartels published

NASA's new high-tech, low-temp observatory observatory is one step closer to gathering some cool science.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope separates from its Ariane 5 rocket with the bright blue Earth in the background in this view captured after its launch on Dec. 25, 2021.

This amazing HD video is the last view we'll ever have of the James Webb Space Telescope

By Elizabeth Howell published

A newly released HD video shows the James Webb Space Telescope flying away from its rocket toward deep space.

An animation of the deployment of the secondary mirror on the James Webb Space Telescope.

James Webb Space Telescope nails secondary mirror deployment

By Tereza Pultarova published

The James Webb Space Telescope successfully extended its secondary mirror as it continues to sail seamlessly through its never-before-conducted deployment sequence on the way to its destination.

The James Webb Space Telescope's 21.3-foot-wide (6.5 meters) primary mirror is seen here during testing on Earth.

With James Webb Space Telescope's huge sunshield in place, focus shifts to big mirrors

By Mike Wall published

The Webb team can now turn to the next big-ticket item on its list: getting the telescope's secondary and primary mirrors into the proper configuration.

An artistic representation of the James Webb Space Telescope with its sunshield deployed.

James Webb Space Telescope completes tricky sunshield deployment

By Tereza Pultarova published

The James Webb Space Telescope has successfully deployed all five layers of its tennis-court-sized sunshield.

This NASA animations shows the tensioning step for the James Webb Space Telescope's sunshield to tighten the huge sunshield in place.

Things are getting tense for NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, literally

By Elizabeth Howell published

On Monday (Jan. 3), James Webb Space Telescope controllers began tightening the tension on its massive sunshield.

An artist's impression of dark matter in the beginning of the universe.

We may finally be able to test one of Stephen Hawking's most far-out ideas

By Paul Sutter published

The recently launched James Webb Telescope should help determine if dark matter is made up of primordial black holes.