Unlocking the Universe

Unlocking the Universe offers a stunning STEM feast on NASA's Webb Telescope—the world's most powerful telescope—that will captivate future scientists and engineers about space and the universe beyond.

Building the James Webb Space Telescope was no easy feat. It started with a big dream and an even bigger team—thousands of engineers and scientists across the country and world. The team solved design challenges, built prototypes, and ran test after test. They experienced frustration, page-turning suspense, and, ultimately, triumph. After decades of work, a rocket catapulted the Webb Telescope into space. With Webb, we can now see farther than we've ever seen before.

The first Webb images, released on July 11, 2022, captivated the world. Today, the Webb team continues to release new images and make astonishing discoveries. This is their story, as told by a mechanical engineer and reviewed for accuracy by key members of the Webb team.