ActiveNASA / ESA / CSA

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)

Unfolding the infrared universe to observe the first luminous glow after the Big Bang.

Primary Mirror Diameter6.5 meters (21.3 ft)

Operating Temperature (MIRI)6.7 Kelvin (-266.45°C)

Sunshield Dimensions21.197 m × 14.162 m

Wavelength Coverage0.6 to 28.3 μm (IR)

Observatory Architecture & Cryogenics

JWST is the premier space observatory of the 21st century. Equipped with a 6.5-meter gold-coated beryllium primary mirror and a 5-layer tennis-court-sized sunshield, JWST operates at cryogenic temperatures below 50 Kelvin to detect redshifted light from galaxies formed less than 300 million years after the Big Bang.

Interactive JWST/NIRSpec Spectral Analysis

Interactive Astrophysics Lab

Transmission Spectrometer & Molecular Fingerprint Analyzer

Simulate JWST/NIRSpec transmission spectroscopy across exoplanetary atmospheres.

Target Molecule / Gas

Host Star Class

Detector Instrumental Noise10 ppm

Spectral Diagnostics

Water Vapor (H₂O)

Key indicator of liquid surface oceans or steam atmospheric envelopes in temperate terrestrial exoplanets and hot Jupiters.

Observational Note: Detected in WASP-96b, K2-18b, and Jupiter's icy moons.

Simulated Normalized Flux vs. Absorption Wavelength

SNR: ~100.0:1

940 nm (NIR) (Abs: 65%)

1.15 μm (J-Band) (Abs: 75%)

1.40 μm (H-Band) (Abs: 90%)

1.90 μm (K-Band) (Abs: 85%)

2.60 μm (MIR) (Abs: 95%)

1.000 Flux (Continuum)Transmission Dip Depth ΔF/F (%)

0.6 μm (Optical)1.5 μm (NIR)3.0 μm4.5 μm15.0 μm (Mid-IR)

940 nm (NIR)

940 nm

Dip: -65%

1.15 μm (J-Band)

1150 nm

Dip: -75%

1.40 μm (H-Band)

1400 nm

Dip: -90%

1.90 μm (K-Band)

1900 nm

Dip: -85%

2.60 μm (MIR)

2600 nm

Dip: -95%

Primary Scientific Investigations

Search for the earliest first-generation Population III stars and proto-galaxies that formed right after the cosmic Dark Ages.

Determine how galaxies evolved from early irregular clumps into modern spiral and elliptical structures.

Observe the birth of stars from within obscuring dust clouds in nebulae such as Carina and the Pillars of Creation.

Perform transmission spectroscopy on exoplanetary atmospheres to detect molecular signatures (CO2, H2O, CH4, SO2, and potential biosignatures).

Cryogenic Focal Plane Arrays

Scientific Payload Suite

NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera)

High-resolution imaging from 0.6 to 5 microns with coronagraphic masks

Manufacturer: University of Arizona

NIRSpec (Near-Infrared Spectrograph)

Microshutter array enabling simultaneous spectroscopy of 100+ deep targets

Manufacturer: ESA / Airbus

MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument)

Mid-IR imaging and spectroscopy from 4.9 to 28.8 microns cooled to 6.7 K

Manufacturer: NASA JPL / European Consortium

FGS/NIRISS

Fine guidance sensor and wide-field slitless spectroscopy

Manufacturer: Canadian Space Agency

Observational Milestones

2022

SMACS 0723 Deep Field release revealing gravitational lenses and galaxies at z > 13.

2023

Definitive detection of CO2 and photochemically produced SO2 in exoplanet WASP-39b atmosphere.

2024

Observation of JADES-GS-z14-0, a massive galaxy confirmed at redshift z = 14.32 (290 million years post-Big Bang).

Observatory Specs

Primary Orbit:Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 2 (L2) — 1.5 Million km from Earth

Program Investment:$10 Billion

Launch Date:Dec 25, 2021

Query MAST JWST Data Products

Published Research

Spectroscopic Confirmation of Galaxies at z > 14

Read our team's peer-reviewed reduction of JADES-GS-z14-0.

Read Full Paper →