One of the grand scientific endeavours of the 21st century, the James Webb Space telescope is to be launched on December 22nd. Named after the NASA boss who oversaw the Apollo Moon-landing project, the telescope has taken 30 years and 10 billion US dollars to develop. Bigger than the Hubble telescope, the Webb will orbit the sun seeking out the light coming from the first stars to shine in the universe about 13.5 billion years ago. Karyn talks to a NASA astrophysicist who has been working on the project since 1997.
engineers are practicing "snow cleaning'" on a test telescope mirror for the James Webb Space Telescope at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Photo: NASA / Chris Gunn
