$10bn telescope to take ‘baby pictures’ of the early universe
Nasa is preparing to launch the world’s most advanced telescope, capable of looking back 13.5 billion years to see the first stars and galaxies and search for signs of extraterrestrial life.
The James Webb Space Telescope, a $10 billion project that took 20 years to build, has arrived at Kourou spaceport in French Guiana for a launch on December 18.
Described as a time-travel machine, it is 100 times more powerful than the Hubble Space Telescope, which for 31 years has made countless discoveries and provided millions of images of planets, galaxies, nebulas and stars.
Space agency officials from the US, Europe and Canada, as well as Arianespace – the company providing the launch vehicle – spoke about the mission at the International Astronautical Congress in Dubai on Wednesday.
“For us, this is a historic moment that took 20 years to come,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, an administrator for Nasa.
“What we have not understood is what happened about 13.5 billion years ago, when a universe that was largely made out of protons and helium turned into something that made galaxies for the first time.
“That’s what we’re going to observe. It’ll be like looking at baby pictures of that universe.”
The device has 10 new technologies and some that were invented for the James Webb telescope.
Eighteen primary mirrors have been arranged in the shape of a honeycomb 6.5 metres in diameter – six times bigger than Hubble’s.
To help reflect infrared light more efficiently, the mirror is covered with a thin coating of gold.
The James Webb telescope will orbit the Sun and be placed in a Lagrange point – a position in space that will allow it to see deeper into the universe.
Its cameras are so sensitive they are able to spot the heat signature of a bumblebee on the Moon’s surface.
Arianespace chief executive Stephane Israel said the company was confident about the launch.
There have been 111 launches using the Ariane 5 rocket, 106 of which were successful. The launch vehicle has a success rate of 95.5 per cent.
Launch preparations are under way at the South American spaceport, including keeping the telescope safe from contamination.
It took two years to construct a final assembly building at the launch site. This will be used for two days before the launch to keep the telescope safe.
A tool to guide the fairing – the cone on top of the rocket in which the telescope will be placed – has been built to protect the cargo.
The telescope, which measures 21 metres by 14.6 metres, will have to fold up to fit into the launch rocket.