The launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has been delayed numerous times, but now NASA gives us all a precise date. The next-generation telescope aims to replace the long-working Hubble and grant us all a fresh new perspective about galaxies.
The goal of the JWST is to allow astronomers to take a good look at the first galaxies of the Universe, understand more about the birth of stars and planets, and try localizing exoplanets that have the potential of hosting life.
NASA will launch the JWST on December 18
The testing for the JWST was completed recently, and now NASA itself announces on its official website that it’s launching the next-generation tool on December 18, 2021.
Gregory L. Robinson from NASA’s Webb mission declared as quoted by the space agency’s website (nasa.gov):
I am inspired by our dedicated team and our global partnerships that have made this incredible endeavor possible. Together, we’ve overcome technical obstacles along the way as well as challenges during the coronavirus pandemic. I also am grateful for the steadfast support of Congress. Now that we have an observatory and a rocket ready for launch, I am looking forward to the big day and the amazing science to come.
As in pretty much any other case, not everybody is eager to see Webb in action. Some are even terrified by the new telescope.
Astronomers still have a lot of curiosities regarding the formation of galaxies and stars. For instance, dark matter is pretty much still a mystery, meaning the “glue” that keeps galaxies intact. Dark matter carries five times the mass of normal matter, which causes it to play a major role in the evolution of the Universe.
