Space mission · NASA

James Webb Space Telescope

ExplorationActiveLaunched 2021-12-25

Mission overview

The James Webb Space Telescope is the largest space observatory, observing the infrared universe from the L2 point.

Outcome & discoveries

Returned the deepest infrared images yet and is probing the first galaxies and exoplanet atmospheres.

★Detection of the earliest known galaxies
★Detailed exoplanet atmospheric spectra

Mission profile

Scientific instruments

NIRCamNear-infrared imaging of the distant and early universe
MIRIMid-infrared imaging and spectroscopy
NIRSpecNear-infrared spectra of hundreds of objects at once

Knowledge connections

Operated byNASA
Operated byESA
Operated byCanadian Space Agency (CSA)
StudiesEagle Nebula
StudiesOrion Nebula
Launched byAriane 5
Launched fromGuiana Space Centre
Carries instrumentNIRCam
Carries instrumentMIRI
Carries instrumentNIRSpec
Operated bySpace Telescope Science Institute
ObservesNear-infrared
ObservesInfrared
Has instrumentNIRISS
DiscoveredCWISEP J193518.59-154620.3 b
DiscoveredTWA 7 b
DiscoveredWISE J033605.05-014350.4 b
Related toJWST's First Science Images
DiscoveredJWST's First Science Images
MeasuresCosmic Dawn & the First Stars
MeasuresReionization
CapturedWebb's First Deep Field (SMACS 0723)
CapturedCosmic Cliffs in the Carina Nebula
CapturedThe Southern Ring Nebula

Mission	Type	Agency	Launch	Status
Freedom 7 (Mercury-Redstone 3)	Crewed suborbital	NASA	1961-05-05	Completed
Friendship 7 (Mercury-Atlas 6)	Crewed orbital	NASA	1962-02-20	Completed
Apollo 8The Moon	Crewed lunar orbit	NASA	1968-12-21	Completed
Apollo 11The Moon	Crewed lunar landing	NASA	1969-07-16	Completed
Apollo 13The Moon	Crewed lunar (aborted)	NASA	1970-04-11	Completed
Apollo 17The Moon	Crewed lunar landing	NASA	1972-12-07	Completed

Sources

Facts on this topic will be cited from these primary and reference sources.

NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.

Quick facts

Type: Space mission
Agency: NASA
Mission type: Space telescope
Destination: Sun–Earth L2
Launch date: 2021-12-25
Status: Active
Launch vehicle: Ariane 5
Launch site: Guiana Space Centre

Provenance & sources

review 2026.1

Asteria Scientific Review Process · verification: sourced · accurate

Historical evidenceconfirmed
The James Webb Space Telescope, a joint NASA–ESA–CSA infrared observatory, was launched on 25 December 2021 and operates near the Sun–Earth L2 Lagrange point.
Source: Space Telescope Science Institute

Reviewed by the internal Asteria Scientific Review Process — not an external institutional review. See the evidence framework and authority dashboard.

Scientific citations

Real, source-backed references — primary papers first, then datasets and institutional sources. Formatted through the citation engine; nothing is fabricated.

Mission pageJames Webb Space Telescope

NASA / STScI

Cite (APA / BibTeX)

NASA / STScI (n.d.). James Webb Space Telescope. NASA / STScI. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/

@misc{cite:obs-space_telescope-james-webb-space-telescope,
  title        = {James Webb Space Telescope},
  organization = {NASA / STScI},
  year         = {n.d.},
  url          = {https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/},
  note         = {Official page for James Webb Space Telescope.}
}

Quality & authority

69%

Reviewed

Completeness: Partial
Source coverage: Complete
Citation coverage: Complete
Relationship coverage: Complete
Review coverage: Complete
Image coverage: None

Curated from authoritative public sources. See source quality.

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Related missions

Mission	Type	Agency	Launch	Status
Freedom 7 (Mercury-Redstone 3)	Crewed suborbital	NASA	1961-05-05	Completed
Friendship 7 (Mercury-Atlas 6)	Crewed orbital	NASA	1962-02-20	Completed
Apollo 8The Moon	Crewed lunar orbit	NASA	1968-12-21	Completed
Apollo 11The Moon	Crewed lunar landing	NASA	1969-07-16	Completed
Apollo 13The Moon	Crewed lunar (aborted)	NASA	1970-04-11	Completed
Apollo 17The Moon	Crewed lunar landing	NASA	1972-12-07	Completed

Sources

Facts on this topic will be cited from these primary and reference sources.

NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration

Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.

Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.

NASA / STScI (n.d.). James Webb Space Telescope. NASA / STScI. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/ @misc{cite:obs-space_telescope-james-webb-space-telescope, title = {James Webb Space Telescope}, organization = {NASA / STScI}, year = {n.d.}, url = {https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/}, note = {Official page for James Webb Space Telescope.} }