What is it? The James Webb Space Telescope will be the most powerful space observatory ever developed, according to NASA. It will complement the work of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and other science missions.
What will it do? NASA identifies one of the telescope’s primary uses as studying atmospheres of exoplanets. Researchers will use the telescope to search these atmospheres for evidence of life.
The telescope will be able to take direct images of exoplanets near bright stars. By studying these images, scientists can discern seasonal differences, vegetation and weather on distant planets.
Webb will be an infrared telescope. That is a benefit because at infrared wavelengths “molecules in the atmospheres of exoplanets have the largest number of spectral features,” according to NASA.
Which agency is running the show? It is an international project led by NASA with the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.
Who was James Webb? Webb (1906-1992) was the second administrator of the space agency, serving from February 1961 to October 1968, according to NASA. His philosophy was to strike a balance between human space flight and science. Webb, a native of North Carolina, became a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps and served as a pilot on active duty from 1930 to 1932. He returned to the Marines during World War II and afterward worked in government agencies and private industry. But he is best known for his work as administrator for NASA. In the movie Hidden Figures, about the contributions of African-American women to the space program, Webb was portrayed by actor Ken Strunk.
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