Space Mission Design and Operations: JWST

This lecture covers the Space Mission Design and Operations, focusing on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Launched on December 25, 2021, JWST is a successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, featuring a large segmented primary mirror and operating at very low temperatures. Positioned in a halo orbit around the L2 Lagrange point, JWST observes in the near to mid-infrared range, enabling high-resolution imaging. Its mission includes studying distant objects and exoplanets, shielded from solar and terrestrial radiation. The telescope's journey to L2 involved unfolding its instruments and transitioning to routine science observations.