The six thousand and two hundred kilogram, six and a half meter wide successor to the thirty-one year old Hubble space observatory, also known as the James Webb Space Telescope, launched on 25 December 2021. This tennis court-size, honey-comb shaped, sun coloured telescope is an engineering feat where the apparatus had to unfold itself in space. James Webb’s creation from its design to execution is an accomplishment, but its purpose and potential is its most note-worthy accolade. James Webb is the upgraded and modernized Hubble Telescope as a joint venture between American, European, and Canadian space agencies.
The NASA Hubble Space Telescope named after astronomer Edwin Hubble was launched in 1990 with four separate visits over the years from astronauts for additions and repairs. The Hubble’s incomparable capabilities have led to multiple international collaborative missions. Some of its most memorable discoveries has been its ability to pin down the age of the universe (13.8 billion years), discover two moons of Pluto (Nix and Hydra), create a 3D map of dark matter, aid in determining the rate at which the universe is expanding, and the discovery that black holes anchor nearly every major galaxy. If it was not obvious from these discoveries, the Hubble has been pertinent to contemporary astronomy. Notwithstanding its influence on science, Hubble’s technology can only be upgraded to an extent, before completely replacing it is the least expensive alternative.
The hefty price tag of ten billion dollars implies James Webb must fill the large shoes of its older brother, and based on its design, it most likely will accomplish that goal and surpass Hubble’s discoveries. The key to its success can be derived from its sensitive capabilities. The massive octagonal barrier will permit the proper sensitivity for infrared to detect signals from the most distant objects in the universe. Drawing from the deepest crevice of your brain’s memory of your grade 11 physics class, infrared wavelengths are longer than visible light but shorter than microwaves and radio waves. The telescope will detect the light travelling from the edge of the observable universe which will arrive within this longer wavelength spectrum. To prevent its own infrared glow from overwhelming the signals it’s meant to detect, Webb must be cooled at a terrifying temperature of -230 degrees celsius. Objectively, every aspect of this apparatus is impressive and highly sensitive.
The importance of its launch is twofold: the science and engineering spectacle along with sparking the interest of a new generation. With the media attention surrounding the space flight billionaire feud and future colonization of Mars, this is the perfect opportunity for space agencies to reinvigorate the public’s interest with meaningful space operations. Although space exploration and deployments have been criticized for their deleterious environmental impact, humankind’s curiosity is intrinsically connected to space discovery and should responsibly be pursued. James Webb’s successful launch and future operations are a paramount reminder of the universe’s consistent growth juxtaposed with Earth’s static state against the pandemic: a representation of human accomplishments and collaboration that best depicts a new phase of societal discovery.