The James Webb Space Telescope lifted off on an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, at 13:20 CET on 25 December on its exciting mission to unlock the secrets of the Universe.
Space News & Blog Articles
Tune into the SpaceZE News Network to stay updated on industry news from around the world.
Christmas launch of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has sparked some epic holiday memes
NASA's Christmas launch of its huge James Webb Space Telescope has sparked some Twitter memes ahead of its Dec. 25 liftoff.
Astronauts on International Space Station send Christmas video message to Earth
Astronauts on the International Space Station shared a festive message for people on Earth as they prepare to spend the holidays in orbit.
Getting Started with Your New Telescope
How to start right using a new telescope — a guide to what you need to know, how to set it up, and things you can start finding with it in tonight's sky.
Best wishes to Webb from space
Video: 00:02:49
From one space flier to another, ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer shares a message of support for the James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) launch, from ESA’s Columbus science laboratory on the International Space Station.
James Webb Space Telescope's rocket begins fueling up for launch
The rocket that will finally launch NASA's James Webb Space Telescope today (Dec. 25) has begun fueling for liftoff.
Live coverage: Countdown begins for launch of James Webb Space Telescope
Live coverage of the countdown and launch of an Ariane 5 rocket with the James Webb Space Telescope. Text updates will appear automatically below; there is no need to reload the page. Follow us on Twitter.
Webb’s fate hinges on high-risk sunshade, mirror deployments
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS & USED WITH PERMISSION
Europe’s spaceport, flagship launcher ready for historic Webb mission
An Ariane 5 rocket reaches the ELA-3 launch zone Thursday at the Guiana Space Center, the final port of call for the James Webb Space Telescope before it ascends into orbit. Credit: ESA/S. Corvaja
Teams in French Guiana positioned a European Ariane 5 rocket into its starting blocks Thursday, ready for liftoff Christmas morning with the nearly $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope, the most expensive science instrument ever to leave planet Earth.
Here's the space weather forecast for NASA's James Webb Space Telescope launch
Space weather could derail the James Webb Space Telescope launch tomorrow. But so far, all seems in favour for tomorrow's big day.
Webb on Ariane 5 roll-out to the launch pad
Video: 00:01:22
On Thursday 23 December, the James Webb Space Telescope, safely stowed inside the fairing of ESA’s Ariane 5 launch vehicle, left the final assembly building for roll-out to the launch pad at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.
The Christmas night sky: A 2021 Yuletide stargazing guide
December is the month of the winter solstice, which a large part of the world associates with such celebrations as Nativity festivals.
Primordial Black Holes Could Explain Dark Matter and the Growth of Supermassive Black Holes at the Same Time
It’s that time again. Time to look at a possible model to explain dark matter. In this case, a perennial favorite known as primordial black holes. Black holes have long been proposed as the source of dark matter. In many ways, they are the perfect candidate because they only interact with light and matter gravitationally. But stellar-mass black holes have been ruled out observationally. There simply aren’t enough of them to account for dark matter.
30 years and $10 billion later, the James Webb Space Telescope is finally on the launch pad
NASA and the astronomy community have poured $10 billion and more than two decades into just one piece of machinery. Now they are facing the moment of truth.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope won't hit Santa during Christmas launch
NASA is launching a huge observatory into space early Christmas morning (Dec. 25), but you don't need to worry about it hitting Santa Claus.
Video: Keith Parrish, Webb’s commissioning manager, talks through telescope deployments
Spaceflight Now’s Editor, Stephen Clark, speaks with NASA’s Keith Parrish, the commissioning manager for the Webb Space Telescope. It is his job to make sure the observatory unfolds and extends correctly. He talks us through the deployment sequence in the month after launch. Find out how shake, shimmy and twirl are in the ground controller’s tool box to fix anything that goes wrong.
James Webb Space Telescope: The scientific mysteries no other observatory could unravel
The James Webb Space Telescope is set to revolutionize our understanding of the universe, from the earliest stars and galaxies to the chemistry of exoplanets, asteroids and comets.
10 Christmas space facts that you probably didn't know
The holiday season and space might just be more closely connected than you thought. Check out this list of great Christmas space facts.
Track Santa as he delivers gifts around the world on Christmas Day
Track Santa as he proceeds with his annual Chrismtas present deliveries across the globe in a simulation by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).
Nerves run high ahead of the James Webb Space Telescope launch this Saturday
Amid all the excitement, there is no shortage of nerves ahead of the launch of the world's most powerful telescope.
How a real NASA patch anchors Netflix's 'Don't Look Up' in reality
"You've got the patch there. In fact, I was observing a little Latin phrase at the bottom, what does that say?" "'Hic Servare Diem,' which means 'Here to save the day.'"
