The James Webb telescope launched.

[Sild]

Roughly three hours ago the telescope that will replace the famous Hubble telescope has been succesfully launched and is in route to its designated operational area (at about 1.5 milion km from Earth).

"The James Webb Space Telescope’s revolutionary technology will study every phase of cosmic history—from within our solar system to the most distant observable galaxies in the early universe. Webb’s infrared telescope will explore a wide range of science questions to help us understand the origins of the universe and our place in it.

Webb is an international collaboration between NASA and its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency. Thousands of engineers and hundreds of scientists worked to make Webb a reality, along with over 300 universities, organizations, and companies from 29 U.S. states and 14 countries. "

For the next 6 months the telescope is expected to run tests, calibrations and adjustments.

For more information on the telescope and its mission(s), check out:
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Webb
https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/
https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/satellites/jwst/Default.asp

 

[LeKill3rFou]

A new time machine in space

 

[Bartinga2077]

A new time machine in space

Guess only time will tell.

 

[LeKill3rFou]

When you can "see" something who is happen billions years ago (due to the insane "distances" and the light speed travel), it's already a time travel. You see the past (and in this case, a very/very/very/very/... old past).
When you look the sun, you see it as it was 8 min ago, it's already the past. I just find it fascinating

 

[Gilrond-i-Virdan]

Very cool! Looking forward to some images from it.

 

[Notserious80]

Really hope it will be a huge leap forward in knowing the universe, kinda like a Hubble2. Must be hard for the builders not knowing if everything will work the way they planned it for another 6 months but

 

[Glorious_Dawn]

Watching the calibrations tick along, I can't wait for the Webb to finally open its huge, faceted eye and take that first long look further back in space and time than any human has ever seen. Makes me sort of wibble in my chair with excitement.