It was named after James E. Webb, NASA administrator from 1961 to1968 during the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs.
The telescope was a long time in the making, first planned in 1996 and projected for launch in 2007. But cost overruns and delays and a major redesign in 2005 had pushed the completion date to 2016.
And it was actually launched on Christmas of 2021.
The JWST, a large infrared telescope, is being used to study the history of our Universe, such as:
* the first luminous glows after the Big Bang
* the first galaxies formed in the early universe
* the stars forming planetary systems through dusty clouds
* the formation of solar systems capable of supporting life on planets like Earth
* the data to support theories of the evolution of our own Solar System.
As the largest optical telescope in space, its greatly improved infrared resolution and sensitivity allow it to view objects too early, distant, or faint for the Hubble Space Telescope.
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