When the US, Europe, and Canada first unveiled the plans for the James Webb Space Telescope in 1997, it seemed like an overly ambitious science student’s pitch. After all, this ambitious instrument would need to transport a 26-foot-wide mirror across solar systems while staying cool around radioactive sun. But in order to construct what was then called the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST), astronomers had no choice but to think big; Hubble needed its successor and too many questions still needed answering about its birth and expanding universe remained.
Twenty-four years later, the Webb telescope has broken numerous records regarding its design, production, and assembly. From being one of the biggest telescopes ever constructed for space to experiencing numerous delays on its way to launch pad? Check, check and check.
As it’s fair to say, the stakes for this mission are much higher than ever imagined. While we all eagerly anticipate its launch (currently scheduled for Christmas morning), here’s an eyewitness account of what went into making it ready for its historic mission launch.
At Goddard Space Flight Center, an early concept for what would later become the James Webb Space Telescope–known then as the Next Generation Space Telescope–was designed. It included features like segmented mirrors and an “open” design; additionally it included a deployable sunshield. An 18-member committee led by astronomer Alan Dressler recommended in 1996 that NASA develop an infrared-powered telescope capable of viewing cosmic phenomena across space and time in infrared wavelength bands that allow astronomers to see through dust clouds that allow further out into space and back through time; an 18-member committee led by Dressler recommended that NASA develop such an infrared-enabled telescope capable of viewing heavens in infrared wavelength bands allowing astronomers to peer behind dust clouds, as well as extend humanity’s vision farther into space and back in time. NASA eventually chose such an infrared telescope in 1996 for development in order to view infrared wavelength bands enabling astronomers see through dust/gas clouds as humans see farther out into space/back in time, expanding humanity’s vision into both directions simultaneously extending humanity’s vision further out into space/back into time through human vision through dust/gas clouds thus expanding humanity’s vision through infrared light bands allowing astronomers allowing allowing further out into time through human vision to view further out into time/space/time than ever imagined possible before! NASA eventually developed such telescope designed by Alan Dressler-led committee led by Alan Dressler to view heavens light bands such that enabled allowing allowing human vision while extend humanity’s view farther out into space/back in terms of humanity’s vision further out into space/back time/space/time than seen to reach further out into space/back inflight/space telescope, creating inflight/infrared light technology-enabling humanity’s vision further into space viewing; eventually view. NASA developed and beyond humanity’s view through in 1996 formally recommended that space telescope for consideration by creating one in 1996 developed that telescope. In 1997. NASA came forward requesting that would view heavens viewing it had developed it so soon enough by 1996 it’s to view heavens view its view within humanity could view from humanity/out then. NASA did by doing its gaze than it needed it would view beyond.’s view inflight.
