Into the Unknown – the Story of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope
“Into the Unknown” tells the story of the building of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, which will be the revolutionary successor to the Hubble Telescope. […]
James Webb Space Telescope
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO SOLVE THE MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE.
Until it's not.
- Northrop Grumman leads the industry team for NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, the largest, most complex and powerful space telescope ever built.
- The Webb Telescope will fundamentally alter our understanding of the universe. Northrop Grumman is focused on ensuring that this once unthinkable achievement becomes a reality. Identified as a top priority for astronomy and astrophysics by the National Research Council, the Webb Telescope is a key program for NASA and the scientific community and is central to the nation's ground- and space-based astrophysics program.
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How JWST will Define Possible
NASA's Webb Telescope will use its superb angular resolution and near-infrared instruments to discover and study planetary systems similar to our own, analyze the molecular composition of extrasolar planets’ atmospheres and directly image Jupiter-size planets orbiting nearby stars.
The JWST will make observations once thought to be impossible; multiple new technologies had to be invented simply to build it. The groundbreaking mirror and powerful instruments will discover and study distant planetary systems, analyzing the molecular composition of extrasolar planets' atmospheres and directly imaging Jupiter-size planets orbiting nearby stars.
JWST will also look deep into the past, to a time when the earliest stars and galaxies were born. By extending our knowledge of the cosmos, the JWST will help us answer the compelling questions, "How did we get here?" and "Are we alone?"
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The Search for Earth 2.0
Finding extraterrestrial life is not an easy task, but researchers are well-equipped to pursue.
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope will be another powerful tool in the search for life.
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NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope will be another powerful tool in the search for life.
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James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Namesake - Northrop Grumman
Advocate of Space Exploration, James Webb Would be Proud of the Telescope in His Name
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NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope:
Letting Astronomers Peer into the Early Universe
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The James Webb Space Telescope Team
NASA leads an international partnership that includes the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center is managing the Webb Telescope project, and the Space Telescope Science Institute is responsible for science and mission operations, as well as ground station development.
As the prime contractor to develop the James Webb Space Telescope, Northrop Grumman is designing and building the deployable sunshield, providing the spacecraft and integrating the total system. The observatory subsystems are developed by a Northrop Grumman-led team with vast experience in developing space-based observatories.
Ball Aerospace: Optical design, mirrors, wavefront sensing, and control design and algorithms
Harris Corporation: Optical telescope integration and testing
University of Arizona: Near-Infrared Camera
European Space Agency (ESA): Near-Infrared Spectrograph
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), ESA: Mid-Infrared Instrument
Canadian Space Agency (CSA): Fine Guidance Sensor with Tunable Filter Module
