Deployment of the James Webb Space Telescope

2021-12-14 – The James Webb Space Telescope is well on its way to exploring the universe! Since its launch on December 25, Webb has successfully completed many milestones: ✨ Webb released and deployed its solar array, which means the telescope went off battery power and began to use its own generated power. ✨ Webb had two planned mid-course correction burns. Webb was launched on a direct path to an orbit around the second Lagrange Point (L2), but its trajectory required correction manoeuvres to get there. ✨ The 5-layer sunshield was fully deployed and tensioned. It is the size of a tennis court. ✨ Webb’s secondary mirror, which plays an important role in reflecting light collected by the primary mirror into the telescope’s instruments, was deployed. ✨ Webb’s iconic primary mirror was unfolded. The James Webb Space Telescope, often referred to as Hubble’s successor, promises to push the limits of astronomy even more and study some of the very first galaxies ever created, only 200 million years after t