Remember the Hubble Space Telescope? It was a pretty big deal 30 years ago when it launched into low Earth orbit, where it remains today. Stuck with 20th century technology, cracking and in need of expensive repair, Hubble hangs out in the night sky as a sign of old American glory at the Cold War’s end.
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST or Webb) was supposed to update Hubble for the twenty-first century. Webb, we are told, boasts 15 times the collection area of Hubble and will be able to capture infrared images in high resolution…
It all sounds very exciting until you realize what is left out of the press release.
One striking omission: even if Webb launches this year, it will be 14 years late and cost 20 times the original budget. Read more…
