How JWST will Define Possible

NASA's Webb Telescope will use its superb angular resolution and near-infrared instruments to discover and study planetary systems similar to our own, analyze the molecular composition of extrasolar planets’ atmospheres and directly image Jupiter-size planets orbiting nearby stars.

The JWST will make observations once thought to be impossible; multiple new technologies had to be invented simply to build it. The groundbreaking mirror and powerful instruments will discover and study distant planetary systems, analyzing the molecular composition of extrasolar planets' atmospheres and directly imaging Jupiter-size planets orbiting nearby stars.

JWST will also look deep into the past, to a time when the earliest stars and galaxies were born. By extending our knowledge of the cosmos, the JWST will help us answer the compelling questions, "How did we get here?" and "Are we alone?"