The James Webb Space Telescope: Science Potential and Project Status

The unprecedented sensitivity and resolution of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will significantly advance a broad variety of astrophysics soon after it is launched in 2018.  Its large (6.5-m diameter) primary mirror and infrared instruments will allow it to see some of the very first luminous objects that formed in the Universe after the Big Bang.  Other major science themes of JWST encompass studying the assembly of galaxies, the birth of stars and planetary systems, and planetary systems and the origins of life.  JWST will be the premier astrophysics space observatory for NASA and ESA over its 5 - 10 year mission lifetime, supplanting the Hubble Space Telescope (which primarily works at visible and ultraviolet light wavelengths).  In addition to the topics covered in this talk, many scientists will use JWST to make discoveries that we have not yet imagined.

JWST employs many unique technologies, and the mission has been in development for over 10 years.  Many major hardware components - all large optics and all science instruments - have been completed, and integration of major components has begun.  In this talk Dr. Greene will illustrate the mission's science potential and highlight the status of this development effort.

Speaker: Dr. Thomas Greene, NASA Ames