Goldeneye: James Webb Space Telescope

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) was launched on December 25, 2021. This 6.5-m space telescope is the most powerful and sophisticated astronomical instrument ever produced. Its concept study started in the 1980s as the Next Generation Space Telescope, before the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). To achieve its ambitious science goals, its unconventional design employs many cutting-edge technologies. A large multi-layer sunshield blocks emission of the Sun, Earth and Moon, and keeps the telescope at a cryogenic temperature (similar to 40 K). The primary mirror consists of 18 hexagonal segments made of gold-coated beryllium. Every mirror segment is supported by actuators for fine adjustments, to ensure the finest image quality. Major mirror components and the sunshield were folded into the launch vehicle, to be deployed in space. Despite unprecedented technical and budgetary challenges, JWST has been successfully deployed on to a remote Lagrange-2 orbit which offers a stable thermal environment and other operational advantages. The latest estimate anticipates a lifetime considerably longer than 10 years. JWST is equipped with one mid-infrared and three near-infrared instruments, offering superior imaging and spectroscopic capabilities with ample redundancy. It is approximately one hundred times more sensitive than HST and one thousand times more powerful than ground-based telescopes and previous space infrared telescopes, enabling a broad range of breakthroughs in astronomy. JWST will play a key role in detecting "the first light" after the Big Bang because the prominent features of such light are redshifted (z similar to 20) into the infrared bands and because infrared light can penetrate through dust around young objects. In addition, it will study the galaxy formation and evolution across the cosmic time, observe the birth of stars and planetary' systems, find evidence of life beyond the Solar system. etc. The first batch of science data will be released shortly after six months of instrument calibrations. For the first year of JWST operation, 286 science programs have been selected after competitive reviews. taking two-thirds of the available time. Approximately a half of these programs are for distant galaxies and nearby exoplanets. To maximize the JWST science returns, several infrared and optical survey projects will become operational in the near future and provide valuable targets. It is anticipated that the joint observations of JWST and the next-generation ground-based large telescope will lead to a golden era of astronomy.