In a previous post, I wrote about the Hubble telescopes revolutionary Hubble Legacy Field image. This ended the era of Hubble, which was the source of most of the discoveries of our solar system over the past decades. The new James Webb telescope is now set to be put into orbit in 2021, and it will set into motion a brand new era of galactic discovery. It will be able to study every phase of the known universe, ranging from the Big Bang to the depths of modern galaxies. Many new innovations have been created for this telescope, such as a mirror that folds into eighteen parts. This mirror will be 6.5 meters wide, and attached to it will be a sunshield that is the size of a telescope. James Webbs’ infrared capabilities will be able to capture images of more than 100 images simultaneously and can absorb heat one million times that of the sun. This revolutionary telescope will hopefully start a new wave of exploration that will lead to new thoeries regarding how the universe and solar system came to be and the depths to which they expand.
Shea Gordon 
I love how you’re covering new technological innovations in relation to space! Given the telescope’s infrared capabilities, what are the main goals it hopes to achieve, if not just finding more information about the Big Bang? And I’m curious if it’s was created with higher heat resistance in order to leave the solar system.
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From a TA: The JWST is designed to do a lot different kinds of science. To name a few JWST will:
1) search for the first galaxies or luminous objects formed after the Big Bang, 2) determine how galaxies evolved from their formation until now, 3) observe the formation of stars from the first stages to the formation of planetary systems, and 4) measure the physical and chemical properties of planetary systems, including our own Solar System, and investigate the potential for life in those systems. It’s an incredible feat of engineering!
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