James Webb Space Telescope timeline

The 18 main mirror segments for JWST in special shipping cans, 2012

Main mirror assembled, May 2016

Another view of the full main mirror of JWST, November 2016

This page lists selected events from the chronology of the James Webb Space Telescope, a planned international 21st century space observatory. It is intended to be a premier observatory of the 2020s, combining the largest mirror yet on a near-infrared space telescope with a suite of technologically advanced instruments from around the world.^[1]

Timeline

• 1996: Next Generation Space Telescope initiated^[2]
• 2000: NEXUS cancelled (JWST technology demo)^[3][4]
• 2002: $824.8 million prime contract for NGST awarded to TRW.^[5]
• September 2002: NGST named James Webb Space Telescope ^[6][1]
• January 2007, 9/10 technology development items pass non-advocate review.^[7]
• April 2010, technical part of Mission Critical Design Review (MCDR) passes.^[8]
• July 2011, James Webb project threatened with cancellation.^{[9][10][11][12]}
• November 2011, JWST survives cancellation attempt.^[13]
• 2012, MIRI instrument hand-off.^[14]
• 2014, first combined test of all four instruments.^[15]
• March 2014, NIRCam installed in ISIM ^[16]
• February 2016, hexagonal segments of the primary mirror completed.^[17]
• December 2015, contract for JWST's launcher signed.^[18]
• March 2016, cryogenic testing of instruments and mirrors completed.^[19]
• November 2016 JWST construction completed^[20]
• October 2018 planned launch as of 2016.^[1]

After-launch plan

• For 30 days after launch it takes a million mile trip to L2 halo orbit^[21]
• For 6 months JWST is prepared for full-time science operation.^[22] This includes letting everything cool down, calibrating the mirrors and instruments, etc.^[23]
• 5 year science mission starts after 6 months (goal)^[24]

References

1. "The James Webb Space Telescope". Explore James Webb Space Telescope. NASA. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
2. "About James Webb". NASA. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
3. "Nexus Space Telescope". MIT.
5. "TRW Selected as JWST Prime Contractor". STCI. 11 September 2003. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
6. "About James Webb". NASA. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
7. "JWST Passes NTAR". STScI. Retrieved 5 July 2008.
8. "NASA's Webb Telescope Passes Key Mission Design Review Milestone". NASA. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
9. McKie, Robin (9 July 2011). "Nasa fights to save the James Webb space telescope from the axe". London: The Guardian.
10. "Appropriations Committee Releases the Fiscal Year 2012 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations". US House of representatives Committee on Appropriations. 6 July 2011.
11. "US lawmakers vote to kill Hubble successor". SpaceDaily. 7 July 2011.
12. "Proposed NASA Budget Bill Would Cancel Major Space Telescope". Space.com. 6 July 2011.
13. "NASA budget plan saves telescope, cuts space taxis". Reuters. 16 November 2011.
17. "NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Primary Mirror Fully Assembled". NASA.gov. 3 Feb 2016. Retrieved 4 Feb 2016.
20. Nasa begins testing enormous space telescope made of gold mirrors
24. http://jwst.nasa.gov/orbit.html

External links

• JWST recent news