operational Infrared · International
James Webb Space Telescope
NASA, ESA, CSA · operator profile
The largest and most powerful space telescope ever built, observing the universe primarily in infrared to see through dust clouds and detect the faint light of the earliest galaxies.
Facts
Launch date
25 December 2021
Primary mirror
6.5 m, 18 gold-coated beryllium segments
Location
Sun-Earth L2, ~1.5 million km from Earth
Timeline
Launched 25 December 2021; reached L2 orbit late January 2022; science operations began July 2022; still fully active as of September 2026.
Recent findings
Recent observations include star formation and jets in the IC 348 region, methane detected on interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, a newly discovered moon of Uranus, and a candidate "direct collapse" black hole.
Frequently asked about James Webb Space Telescope
- Who operates James Webb Space Telescope?
- James Webb Space Telescope is operated by NASA, ESA, CSA.
- Is James Webb Space Telescope operational?
- Yes, James Webb Space Telescope is currently operational.
- Where does James Webb Space Telescope operate from?
- James Webb Space Telescope operates from Sun-Earth L2, ~1.5 million km from Earth, observing primarily in the infrared range.