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JWST

active
Science ExplorationcislunarCOSPAR 2021-130ALaunched 12/25/2021
Admin Edit
Mission & Launch
Launch Mission
JWST Mission
Launch Vehicle
Ariane 5ECA+
Launch Date
12/25/2021
Orbit & Mass
Orbit Class
cislunar
Altitude
524,157.5 km
Inclination
4.17 deg
Dry Mass
5,861 kg
Total Mass
6,161 kg
Payload Classification
Mission Type
Science Exploration
Payload Category
AST
Payload Class
C
Organizations
Operator
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Manufacturer
Northrop Grumman
Registry
COSPAR ID
2021-130A
UN Registration
ST/SG/SER.E/1041
Track
Mentions
115
All verified mentions of this spacecraft in source documents.
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Actions

NASA may be ready to launch the Habitable Worlds Observatory around the time JWST's fuel runs out.

PlanGeneralValue 2.8Oct 28, 2024Review: Infinite Cosmos

JWST has enough fuel on board to operate at the Earth-Sun L-2 point for another two decades.

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CapabilityPlanValue 4.2Oct 28, 2024Review: Infinite Cosmos

JWST began its science operations in mid-2022 from a location 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth.

GeneralCapabilityValue 3.0Oct 28, 2024Review: Infinite Cosmos

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) was launched on Christmas Day, 2021.

PlanGeneralValue 3.2Oct 21, 2024Britain in the early history of the James Webb Space Telescope

The Edison architecture was influential in the design considerations for the next-generation space telescope, later known as JWST.

GeneralPlanValue 2.0Oct 21, 2024Britain in the early history of the James Webb Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) was nearly $10 billion and marked its first anniversary of releasing science images last Thursday.

FinancialGeneralValue 2.8Jul 17, 2023For Mars Sample Return, more serious repercussions

Senators Shaheen and Moran helped establish a new cost cap of $8.8 billion for JWST after it broke an earlier $8 billion cap during development.

LegalFinancialValue 4.0Jul 17, 2023For Mars Sample Return, more serious repercussions

The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) presented two 'Champions for Astronomy' awards to Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) for their support in keeping JWST on track.

GovernanceGeneralValue 3.2Jul 17, 2023For Mars Sample Return, more serious repercussions

JWST is capable of detecting faint light from incredibly distant stars and galaxies.

CapabilityValue 3.0Jul 3, 2023A subtle symphony of ripples in spacetime

JWST has found hundreds of galaxies that flooded the universe with light in the first 700 million years after the Big Bang.

GeneralValue 2.0Jul 3, 2023A subtle symphony of ripples in spacetime

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is designed to help researchers study the formation of the first stars and galaxies after the Big Bang.

GeneralValue 2.0Jul 3, 2023A subtle symphony of ripples in spacetime

During the collision of NASA’s DART spacecraft with the asteroid Dimorphos in September 2022, JWST tracked the asteroid at a rate of 110 milliarcseconds per second.

CapabilityGeneralValue 4.0Jan 10, 2023Astronomers celebrate performance of JWST

There have been 21 micrometeoroid impacts on JWST's mirrors to date, with one in May 2021 being larger than expected.

GeneralValue 4.0Jan 10, 2023Astronomers celebrate performance of JWST

JWST uses the DSN for eight hours out of every 24.

CapabilityValue 3.0Jan 10, 2023Astronomers celebrate performance of JWST

JWST plans to implement an 'avoidance zone' during Cycle 2 of observations to mitigate future micrometeoroid impacts.

PlanValue 4.0Jan 10, 2023Astronomers celebrate performance of JWST

JWST has been reported to meet or exceed its specifications on sensitivity, stability, and resolution.

CapabilityValue 2.5Jan 10, 2023Astronomers celebrate performance of JWST

A safe mode was triggered in JWST’s attitude control system on December 7 due to an unusual sequence of events, but the issue has since been resolved.

CapabilityValue 3.2Jan 10, 2023Astronomers celebrate performance of JWST

Micrometeoroid impacts have had a very small effect on the quality of images produced by JWST.

CapabilityValue 2.0Jan 10, 2023Astronomers celebrate performance of JWST

JWST was designed to track moving objects at a rate of up to 30 milliarcseconds per second.

CapabilityValue 4.5Jan 10, 2023Astronomers celebrate performance of JWST

JWST communicates with the Deep Space Network (DSN), downloading an average of 57 gigabytes of data per day.

CapabilityGeneralValue 4.0Jan 10, 2023Astronomers celebrate performance of JWST