James Webb Space Telescope Successfully Launched On Christmas Day

NASA confirmed that the James Webb Space Telescope was successfully placed in orbit on December 25. The launch occurred at 7:20 AM EST from the European spaceport in French Guiana, South America. NASA is working with the ESA and the Canadian Space Agency on the Webb telescope.

NASA says the telescope will seek out light produced by the first galaxies in the early universe and will be used to explore our solar system and exoplanets.

“The James Webb Space Telescope represents the ambition that NASA and our partners maintain to propel us forward into the future,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “The promise of Webb is not what we know we will discover; its what we dont yet understand or cant yet fathom about our universe. I cant wait to see what it uncovers!”

The rocket performed as expected, with the observatory separating from the rocket 27 minutes after launch. The telescope was released at an altitude of 870 miles above the Earth’s surface. It will be a long time yet before the Webb space telescope will complete the commissioning process and begin scientific operations.