The James Webb telescope is the largest telescope ever built and should yield significant information for science.

1. THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE
A BRIEF INTRODUCTION

2. JAMES WEBB
Webb was formerly known as
the “Next Generation Space
Telescope” (NGST); it was renamed in
Sept 2002 after a former NASA
administrator, James Webb.

3. WEBB IS AN INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration

4. WEBB IS AN INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
+
National Aeronautics and European Space
Space Administration Agency

5. WEBB IS AN INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
+ +
National Aeronautics and European Space Canadian Space
Space Administration Agency Agency

6. WEBB IS AN INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
+ +
National Aeronautics and European Space Canadian Space
Space Administration Agency Agency
Managing The Main Industrial Operates Webb
Development Effort Partner After Launch

7. THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE

8. THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE
Infrared

9. THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE
Infrared
6.5
meter primary mirror

10. THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE
Infrared
Hubble’s
primary mirror
6.5
meter primary mirror

11. THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE
Infrared
Hubble’s
primary mirror
6.5
meter primary mirror
2018
launch date

12. HOW BIG IS WEBB?
HUBBLE

13. HOW BIG IS WEBB?
HUBBLE
TRACTOR-
TRAILER

14. HOW BIG IS WEBB?
HUBBLE WEBB
TRACTOR-
TRAILER

15. HOW BIG IS WEBB?
HUBBLE WEBB
TRACTOR-
BOEING 737
TRAILER

16. INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Folding, segmented primary mirror

17. INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Folding, segmented primary mirror
Ultra-lightweight beryllium optics

18. INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Folding, segmented primary mirror
Ultra-lightweight beryllium optics
Detection of extremely weak signals

19. INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Folding, segmented primary mirror
Ultra-lightweight beryllium optics
Detection of extremely weak signals
Microshutters

20. INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
Folding, segmented primary mirror
Ultra-lightweight beryllium optics
Detection of extremely weak signals
Microshutters
Cryocooler

21. FOUR MAIN SCIENCE INSTRUMENTS ON WEBB
1
Near InfraRed Camera
(NIRCam)

22. FOUR MAIN SCIENCE INSTRUMENTS ON WEBB
1 2
Near InfraRed Camera Near InfraRed Spectrograph
(NIRCam) (NIRSpec)

23. FOUR MAIN SCIENCE INSTRUMENTS ON WEBB
1 2 3
Near InfraRed Camera Near InfraRed Spectrograph Mid-InfraRed Instrument
(NIRCam) (NIRSpec) (MIRI)

24. FOUR MAIN SCIENCE INSTRUMENTS ON WEBB
1 2 3 4
Near InfraRed Camera Near InfraRed Spectrograph Mid-InfraRed Instrument Fine Guidance Sensor/
(NIRCam) (NIRSpec) (MIRI) Near InfraRed Imager
& Slitless Spectrograph
(FGS-NIRISS)

25. INTEGRATED SCIENCE INSTRUMENT MODULE (ISM)

26. INTEGRATED SCIENCE INSTRUMENT MODULE (ISM)
The ISM contains
the four instruments

27. INTEGRATED SCIENCE INSTRUMENT MODULE (ISM)
The ISM contains
the four instruments

28. INFRARED RANGE
Webb's instruments will be designed to work primarily in the infrared range of the electromagnetic
spectrum, with some capability in the visible range. It will be sensitive to light from 0.6 (orange)
to 28 micrometers (µm) in wavelength.

29. INFRARED RANGE
Webb's instruments will be designed to work primarily in the infrared range of the electromagnetic
spectrum, with some capability in the visible range. It will be sensitive to light from 0.6 (orange)
to 28 micrometers (µm) in wavelength.
Gamma Rays X-Rays UV Rays Visible Light Infrared Microwave Radio waves
Wavelength in
10-5 0.2 0.4 0.75 1,000
microns (µm)

30. INFRARED RANGE
Webb's instruments will be designed to work primarily in the infrared range of the electromagnetic
spectrum, with some capability in the visible range. It will be sensitive to light from 0.6 (orange)
to 28 micrometers (µm) in wavelength.
Gamma Rays X-Rays UV Rays Visible Light Infrared Microwave Radio waves
Wavelength in
10-5 0.2 0.4 0.75 1,000
microns (µm)
Visible Light Near Infrared Mid Infrared Far Infrared Rays
Wavelength in
0.6 0.75 1.5 4 1,000
microns (µm)

31. INFRARED RANGE
Webb's instruments will be designed to work primarily in the infrared range of the electromagnetic
spectrum, with some capability in the visible range. It will be sensitive to light from 0.6 (orange)
to 28 micrometers (µm) in wavelength.
Gamma Rays X-Rays UV Rays Visible Light Infrared Microwave Radio waves
Wavelength in
10-5 0.2 0.4 0.75 1,000
microns (µm)
Visible Light Near Infrared Mid Infrared Far Infrared Rays
Wavelength in
0.6 0.75 1.5 4 1,000
microns (µm)
Infrared Sensitivity of
Webb’s Instruments
0.6 µm 28 µm

32. INFRARED RANGE
FGS/NIRISS
(0.8 to 5.0 µm)
Visible Light Near Infrared Mid Infrared Far Infrared Rays
Wavelength in
0.6 0.75 1.5 4 1,000
microns (µm)
Infrared Sensitivity of
Webb’s Instruments
0.6 µm 28 µm

33. INFRARED RANGE
NIRSpec & NIRCam
(0.6 to 5 µm)
FGS/NIRISS
(0.8 to 5.0 µm)
Visible Light Near Infrared Mid Infrared Far Infrared Rays
Wavelength in
0.6 0.75 1.5 4 1,000
microns (µm)
Infrared Sensitivity of
Webb’s Instruments
0.6 µm 28 µm

34. INFRARED RANGE
NIRSpec & NIRCam
(0.6 to 5 µm)
FGS/NIRISS MIRI
(0.8 to 5.0 µm) (5 to 28 µm)
Visible Light Near Infrared Mid Infrared Far Infrared Rays
Wavelength in
0.6 0.75 1.5 4 1,000
microns (µm)
Infrared Sensitivity of
Webb’s Instruments
0.6 µm 28 µm

35. INFRARED RANGE
Near IR
Reveals:
• cooler red stars NIRSpec & NIRCam
(dust is transparent) (0.6 to 5 µm)
FGS/NIRISS MIRI
(0.8 to 5.0 µm) (5 to 28 µm)
Visible Light Near Infrared Mid Infrared Far Infrared Rays
Wavelength in
0.6 0.75 1.5 4 1,000
microns (µm)
Infrared Sensitivity of
Webb’s Instruments
0.6 µm 28 µm

36. INFRARED RANGE
Near IR
Reveals:
• cooler red stars NIRSpec & NIRCam
(dust is transparent) (0.6 to 5 µm)
Mid IR
Reveals: FGS/NIRISS MIRI
• planets, comets, and asteroids (0.8 to 5.0 µm) (5 to 28 µm)
• dust warmed by starlight
• protoplanetary disks
Visible Light Near Infrared Mid Infrared Far Infrared Rays
Wavelength in
0.6 0.75 1.5 4 1,000
microns (µm)
Infrared Sensitivity of
Webb’s Instruments
0.6 µm 28 µm

37. FOUR MAIN SCIENCE THEMES
1 THE END OF THE DARK AGES:
FIRST LIGHT AND REIONIZATION

38. FOUR MAIN SCIENCE THEMES
1 THE END OF THE DARK AGES:
FIRST LIGHT AND REIONIZATION 2 THE ASSEMBLY
OF GALAXIES

39. FOUR MAIN SCIENCE THEMES
1 THE END OF THE DARK AGES:
FIRST LIGHT AND REIONIZATION 2 THE ASSEMBLY
OF GALAXIES 3 THE BIRTH OF STARS AND
PROTOPLANETARY SYSTEMS

40. FOUR MAIN SCIENCE THEMES
1 THE END OF THE DARK AGES:
FIRST LIGHT AND REIONIZATION 2 THE ASSEMBLY
OF GALAXIES 3 THE BIRTH OF STARS AND
PROTOPLANETARY SYSTEMS 4 PLANETARY SYSTEMS
AND THE ORIGINS OF LIFE

41. THE LAUNCH

42. THE LAUNCH
Arianespace's ELA-3
launch complex
near Kourou, French Guiana

43. THE LAUNCH
Arianespace's ELA-3
launch complex
near Kourou, French Guiana

44. THE LAUNCH
Arianespace's ELA-3
launch complex
near Kourou, French Guiana

45. THE LAUNCH
Arianespace's ELA-3
launch complex
near Kourou, French Guiana

46. THE LAUNCH
Arianespace's ELA-3
launch complex
near Kourou, French Guiana

47. WEBB’S ORBIT
• Webb must be very cold
• Shielded from the heat of the Sun
AND the Earth
• Solution: L2 (Lagrange point)
L2
150 million km 1.5 million km

48. WEBB’S ORBIT
L4
• Webb must be very cold
• Shielded from the heat of the Sun
AND the Earth
• Solution: L2 (Lagrange point)
L2
L1
L3 THE L2 LAGRANGE POINT
150 million km 1.5 million km
Lagrange Points provide a stable
configuration in which three
bodies can orbit each other yet
stay in the same position relative
to each other.
L5

49. HOW FAR BACK IN TIME WILL WEBB SEE?
BIG
BANG
0
AGE OF THE UNIVERSE (billions of years)

50. HOW FAR BACK IN TIME WILL WEBB SEE?
BIG
BANG
COSMIC
MICROWAVE
BACKGROUND
0 .0004
(~400,000 yrs)
AGE OF THE UNIVERSE (billions of years)

51. HOW FAR BACK IN TIME WILL WEBB SEE?
DARK AGES
BIG
BANG
COSMIC
MICROWAVE
BACKGROUND
FIRST
STARS
0 .0004 .3
(~400,000 yrs)
AGE OF THE UNIVERSE (billions of years)

52. HOW FAR BACK IN TIME WILL WEBB SEE?
DARK AGES
BIG
BANG
COSMIC
MICROWAVE
BACKGROUND
FIRST
STARS
FIRST
GALAXIES
0 .0004 .3 1
(~400,000 yrs)
AGE OF THE UNIVERSE (billions of years)

53. HOW FAR BACK IN TIME WILL WEBB SEE?
DARK AGES
BIG
BANG
COSMIC
MICROWAVE
BACKGROUND
FIRST
STARS
FIRST
GALAXIES
MODERN
UNIVERSE
0 .0004 .3 1 13.7
(~400,000 yrs)
AGE OF THE UNIVERSE (billions of years)

54. HOW FAR BACK IN TIME WILL WEBB SEE?
HST GOODS /
DARK AGES
CHANDRA DEPP FIELD
BIG
BANG
COSMIC
MICROWAVE
BACKGROUND
FIRST
STARS
FIRST
GALAXIES
MODERN
UNIVERSE
0 .0004 .3 1 13.7
(~400,000 yrs)
AGE OF THE UNIVERSE (billions of years)

55. HOW FAR BACK IN TIME WILL WEBB SEE?
HST GOODS /
DARK AGES
CHANDRA DEPP FIELD
BIG
BANG
JWST
(300,000,000 billion yrs)
COSMIC
MICROWAVE
BACKGROUND
FIRST
STARS
FIRST
GALAXIES
MODERN
UNIVERSE
0 .0004 .3 1 13.7
(~400,000 yrs)
AGE OF THE UNIVERSE (billions of years)

56. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE
HTTP://WWW.JWST.NASA.GOV/INDEX.HTML

57. www.stinsondesign.com
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