NASA has always been a pioneer in space technology and astronomy since its foundation. This time it is about to do something very great to bring about the much-needed advancement in the arena. The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) which has been for decades, a major source of space imagery for NASA, is to be replaced in the upcoming years with its successor named James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). As per a statement from NASA, JWST is much more than a mere replacement and should be seen as a next-generation telescope which offers many improvements and enhancements over Hubble.
While considering the scientific capabilities, we find James Webb Space Telescope to be better in almost every way. Its primary mirror (over 21 feet in diameter) is far larger than that of Hubble (8 feet). The new telescope’s coverage area is more than 7 times as compared to that of Hubble. Moreover, it uses a new sort of mirror that has never been used at this scale in a space-based telescope. So, definitely, there is much novelty to be seen.
Each “pane” of beryllium (total 18) can be adjusted independently whereas Hubble, in contrast, used a conventional ground mirror.
Despite the vast difference in size, James Webb Space Telescope’s mirror weighs very less than Hubble. This is the miracle of modern science, enhancement in quality and deduction on the part of quantity. The conventional mirror aboard the Hubble measures 2,200 lbs, while for James it is just 1,375 lbs.
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