James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)
Ariane 5 ECA+
Arianespace
Rocket Launch Videos
Mission
James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)
- Type: Astrophysics
- Orbit: Sun-Earth L2
The James Webb Space Telescope is a space telescope developed by NASA, ESA and CSA to succeed the Hubble Space Telescope as NASA's flagship astrophysics mission. Its primary mirror, the Optical Telescope Element, is composed of 18 hexagonal mirror segments which combine to create a 6.5 m diameter mirror, considerably larger than Hubble's 2.4 m mirror. This will allow JWST to provide improved infrared resolution and sensitivity over Hubble, and will enable a broad range of investigations across the fields of astronomy and cosmology, including observing some of the most distant events and objects in the universe, such as the formation of the first galaxies.
Location
Ariane Launch Area 3
Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
Ariane Launch Area 3 has witnessed the launch of 118 rockets, including 118 orbital launch attempts. While Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana, has been the site for 331 rocket launches.
The Guiana Space Centre is a European spaceport to the northwest of Kourou in French Guiana, a region of France in South America. Kourou is located at a latitude of 5°. In operation since 1968, it is a suitable location for a spaceport because of its equatorial location and open sea to the east.
Rocket
ArianeGroup Ariane 5 ECA+
Ariane 5 ECA+ is a variant of the Ariane 5 heavy-lift vehicle, with a taller ECA-D upper stage.
Agency
Arianespace
Arianespace SA is a multinational company founded in 1980 as the world's first commercial launch service provider. It undertakes the production, operation, and marketing of the Ariane programme. Their vehicles launch exclusively from French Guiana in South America.
