NASA has released an “Official Mission Trailer” video to promote the planned Christmas Day launch of the James Webb Telescope. Presented like a trailer for a blockbuster film, the 87 second video offers an exciting glimpse into the mission many astronomers believe will fundamentally alter our understanding of the cosmos.
BACKGROUND: A LONG ROAD TO ACTUAL LAUNCH
Throughout the last calendar year, The Debrief has covered the preparation for James Webb in great detail. This includes missions to look at the exoplanet system Trappist-1 to search for signs of extraterrestrial life, a video showing the telescope’s final preparations before launch, as well as the numerous technical challenges overcome by the engineers behind this history making launch.
Now, humanity stands on the threshold of understanding offered by this once in a lifetime space observatory, and the numerous questions it may finally answer.
“We have uncovered wonders undreamt by our ancestors who first speculated on the nature of those wandering lights in the night sky,” the mission trailer video narration opens. “We’ve crossed the solar system and sent ships to the stars.”
ANALYSIS: WHAT JAMES WEBB MEANS TO NASA and SCIENCE
Dr. Matt Brothwell, who is an astronomer with the University of Cambridge, recently penned a piece for The Debrief titled “What the Launch of the James Webb Telescope Means for the Astronomy World.” In that piece, Brothwell highlights the lineage of stellar observatories from Galileo to Hubble that have paved the way for this next generation telescope.
“If all goes as planned, JWST is set to re-write everything we know about our place in the Universe,” writes Brothwell.”
“Webb is set to reveal parts of the Universe that were completely out of reach until now,” Brothwell adds, “it will explore the first galaxies that lit up the cosmos, and search for life on distant exoplanets. The Hubble Space Telescope has been doing this kind of thing for decades, but Webb, at around a hundred times more powerful, is going to leave Hubble in the shade.”
OUTLOOK: ALL SIGNS POINT TO CHRISTMAS DAY LAUNCH
After numerous setbacks and delays, it appears that the recently scheduled Christmas Day launch may actually happen. Time will tell if it is a success, and if the telescope actually produces the incredible insights hoped for by NASA mission planners. However, just trying to do something this epic is a testament to science and humanity alike.
Or, as the narrator of the new video notes, ““If we crave some cosmic purpose, then let us find ourselves a worthy goal.”
Good luck NASA, we’ll all be watching to see you achieve that worthy goal.
Follow and connect with author Christopher Plain on Twitter: @plain_fiction