NASA’s Webb telescope arrives at destination 1 million miles from Earth
ByLauren Silver, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
ByLauren Silver, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
The revolutionary James Webb Space Telescope, designed by NASA in the hopes of better understanding our universe, arrived at its destination after traveling 1 million miles through space. Now, it will begin to orbit the Sun.
The telescope, built as a successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, launched on Dec. 25 from French Guiana, as we previously reported.
Since its launch, the telescope has also unfurled its sunshield, which is the size of a tennis court, and also unfolded its massive gold mirror which will help scientists study space in new ways, CNN reported.
The Webb telescope is seven times more sensitive than the Hubble Space Telescope, and three times its size, The New York Times reported. Webb is designed to see further into the past than Hubble, allowing scientists to study the first stars and galaxies when the universe began.
The telescope’s launch and travel to its destination went so well, that the telescope has used less fuel than scientists had prepared for, which means the life of the telescope will be extended beyond the official 10-year target and will now likely last closer to 20 years, The Washington Post reported.
Now that Webb is in orbit, the next five months will be spent calibrating the telescope’s instruments, CNN reported. NASA expects the first images from the telescope this summer.
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NASA launches James Webb Space Telescope In this handout image provided by the U.S. National Aeronatics and Space Administration (NASA), Arianespace's Ariane 5 rocket with NASAs James Webb Space Telescope onboard, is seen in the final assembly building ahead of the planned roll to the launch pad, at Europes Spaceport, the Guiana Space Center on December 23, 2021 in Kourou, French Guiana. The James Webb Space Telescope (sometimes called JWST or Webb) is a large infrared telescope with a 21.3 foot (6.5 meter) primary mirror. The observatory will study every phase of cosmic history from within our solar system to the most distant observable galaxies in the early universe. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via Getty Images)
NASA launches James Webb Space Telescope In this handout image provided by the U.S. National Aeronatics and Space Administration (NASA), Arianespace's Ariane 5 rocket with NASAs James Webb Space Telescope onboard, is seen in the final assembly building ahead of the planned roll to the launch pad, at Europe's Spaceport, the Guiana Space Center on December 23, 2021 in Kourou, French Guiana. The James Webb Space Telescope (sometimes called JWST or Webb) is a large infrared telescope with a 21.3 foot (6.5 meter) primary mirror. The observatory will study every phase of cosmic history from within our solar system to the most distant observable galaxies in the early universe. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via Getty Images)
NASA launches James Webb Space Telescope In this handout image provided by the U.S. National Aeronatics and Space Administration (NASA), Arianespace's Ariane 5 rocket with NASAs James Webb Space Telescope onboard, is rolled out to the launch pad on December 23, 2021, at Europe's Spaceport, the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. The James Webb Space Telescope (sometimes called JWST or Webb) is a large infrared telescope with a 21.3 foot (6.5 meter) primary mirror. The observatory will study every phase of cosmic history from within our solar system to the most distant observable galaxies in the early universe. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via Getty Images)
NASA launches James Webb Space Telescope In this handout image provided by the U.S. National Aeronatics and Space Administration (NASA), Arianespace's Ariane 5 rocket, with NASAs James Webb Space Telescope onboard, is seen in this false-color infrared exposure as it is rolled out to the launch pad, Thursday, Dec. 23, 2021, at Europe's Spaceport, the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. The James Webb Space Telescope (sometimes called JWST or Webb) is a large infrared telescope with a 21.3 foot (6.5 meter) primary mirror. The observatory will study every phase of cosmic history from within our solar system to the most distant observable galaxies in the early universe. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via Getty Images)
NASA launches James Webb Space Telescope Launch teams monitor the countdown to the launch of Arianespace's Ariane 5 rocket carrying NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, Saturday, Dec. 25, 2021, in the Jupiter Center at the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. The world's largest and most powerful space telescope has blasted off on a high-stakes quest to behold light from the first stars and galaxies. NASA's James Webb Space Telescope rocketed away Saturday from French Guiana in South America. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)
NASA launches James Webb Space Telescope Arianespace's Ariane 5 rocket with NASAs James Webb Space Telescope onboard stands on the launchpad, at the Europe's Spaceport, the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, on December 25, 2021. The telescope, the most powerful space observatory ever built, will help answer fundamental questions about the Universe, peering back in time 13 billion years. (Jody Amiet/AFP via Getty Images)
NASA launches James Webb Space Telescope Monitors show the status ahead of the launch of Arianespace's Ariane 5 rocket carrying NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, Saturday, Dec. 25, 2021, in the Jupiter Center at the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. The world's largest and most powerful space telescope has blasted off on a high-stakes quest to behold light from the first stars and galaxies. NASA's James Webb Space Telescope rocketed away Saturday from French Guiana in South America. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)
NASA launches James Webb Space Telescope Arianespace's Ariane 5 rocket with NASAs James Webb Space Telescope onboard stands on the launchpad, at the Europe's Spaceport, the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, on December 25, 2021. The telescope, the most powerful space observatory ever built, will help answer fundamental questions about the Universe, peering back in time 13 billion years. (Jody Amiet/AFP via Getty Images)
NASA launches James Webb Space Telescope Launch teams monitor the countdown to the launch of Arianespace's Ariane 5 rocket carrying NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, Saturday, Dec. 25, 2021, in the Jupiter Center at the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. The world's largest and most powerful space telescope has blasted off on a high-stakes quest to behold light from the first stars and galaxies. NASA's James Webb Space Telescope rocketed away Saturday from French Guiana in South America. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)
NASA launches James Webb Space Telescope In this image released by NASA, Arianespace's Ariane 5 rocket with NASA's James Webb Space Telescope onboard, lifts off Saturday, Dec. 25, 2021, at Europe's Spaceport, the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. The $10 billion infrared observatory is intended as the successor to the aging Hubble Space Telescope. (NASA via AP)
NASA launches James Webb Space Telescope Arianespace's Ariane 5 rocket with NASAs James Webb Space Telescope onboard lifts up from the launchpad, at the Europe's Spaceport, the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, on December 25, 2021. The telescope, the most powerful space observatory ever built, will help answer fundamental questions about the Universe, peering back in time 13 billion years. (Jody Amiet/AFP via Getty Images)
NASA launches James Webb Space Telescope Arianespace's Ariane 5 rocket with NASAs James Webb Space Telescope onboard lifts up from the launchpad, at the Europe's Spaceport, the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, on December 25, 2021. The telescope, the most powerful space observatory ever built, will help answer fundamental questions about the Universe, peering back in time 13 billion years. (Jody Amiet/AFP via Getty Images)
NASA launches James Webb Space Telescope Arianespace's Ariane 5 rocket with NASAs James Webb Space Telescope onboard lifts up from the launchpad, at the Europe's Spaceport, the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, on December 25, 2021. The telescope, the most powerful space observatory ever built, will help answer fundamental questions about the Universe, peering back in time 13 billion years. (Jody Amiet/AFP via Getty Images)
NASA launches James Webb Space Telescope Arianespace's Ariane 5 rocket with NASAs James Webb Space Telescope onboard lifts up from the launchpad, at the Europe's Spaceport, the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, on December 25, 2021. An engineering marvel, the telescope will help answer fundamental questions about the Universe, peering back in time 13 billion years. (Jody Amiet/AFP via Getty Images)
NASA launches James Webb Space Telescope In this image released by NASA, Arianespace's Ariane 5 rocket with NASA's James Webb Space Telescope onboard, lifts off Saturday, Dec. 25, 2021, at Europe's Spaceport, the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. The $10 billion infrared observatory is intended as the successor to the aging Hubble Space Telescope. (NASA via AP)
NASA launches James Webb Space Telescope In this photo provided by NASA, the James Webb Space Telescope is separated in space on Saturday, Dec. 25, 2021. NASA's James Webb Space Telescope soared from French Guiana on South America’s northeastern coast, riding a European Ariane rocket into the Christmas morning sky. The $10 billion infrared observatory is intended as the successor to the aging Hubble Space Telescope. (NASA via AP)
NASA launches James Webb Space Telescope In this photo provided by NASA, the James Webb Space Telescope is separated in space on Saturday, Dec. 25, 2021. NASA's James Webb Space Telescope soared from French Guiana on South America’s northeastern coast, riding a European Ariane rocket into the Christmas morning sky. The $10 billion infrared observatory is intended as the successor to the aging Hubble Space Telescope. (NASA via AP)
