Where was the James Webb Space Telescope built?

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The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a remarkable engineering feat that took years to complete. Constructed at various sites in the US and Europe, this groundbreaking observatory has significant contributions. Learn all about the JWST’s construction locations.

Primary Contractor

Northrop Grumman was the main contractor for building the JWST. The telescope was assembled at the company’s Space Park facility in Redondo Beach, California. Learn more.

Components

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a sophisticated space observatory with several major parts. Here’s a closer look at its main components and where they were built:

Sunshield

One of the essential parts of the JWST is the sunshield, shielding the telescope’s sensitive instruments from the Sun’s intense heat. This sunshield has five layers of a special material that endures extreme temperatures. Northrop Grumman built it at its Redondo Beach, California facility.

Optical Telescope Element

The Optical Telescope Element (OTE), the core of the JWST, collects light from distant space objects. It includes a primary mirror, a secondary mirror, and supporting structures. Ball Aerospace built the OTE in Boulder, Colorado.

Integrated Science Instrument Module

The Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) holds the four main scientific tools of the JWST: the Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam), the Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec), the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), and the Fine Guidance Sensor/Near InfraRed Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (FGS/NIRISS). A team led by the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, built the ISIM.

Spacecraft Bus

The spacecraft bus forms the backbone of the JWST, supplying power, propulsion, and communications. Airbus Defense and Space built it in Germany.

Launch Vehicle

The JWST launched on an Ariane 5 rocket, which the European space company Arianespace built.

Collaboration Across Continents

The James Webb Space Telescope, a joint effort by NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), features scientific instruments built by various institutions in Europe and the U.S.