The Northrop Grumman full-scale model of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope graces the skyline of Austin, Texas in 2013. The model is the length of a tennis court and approximately 3 stories tall. (Photo: NASA/Chris Gunn)
By Christina Phillips
Northrop Grumman announced the company is gifting its James Webb Space Telescope full-scale model to the Space Foundation.
In a news release, Northrop Grumman said that with this gift, the model will be permanently displayed at Space Foundation Discovery Center in Colorado Springs.
Prior to the launch of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope on Dec. 25, 2021, the full-scale model traveled the world for more than a decade to raise awareness of Webb’s groundbreaking engineering and historic mission.
The model’s new home, the Space Foundation Discovery Center, is a hands-on, interactive space and science center focused on inspiring, educating and preparing the next generation of explorers and innovators. It also reaches a global audience through its International Teacher Liaisons program and distant learning technologies.
“From New York to Paris, this life-size replica of the Webb Telescope inspired communities around the world and, in doing so, invited friends and families to explore the cosmos together to better understand the origins of the universe,” said Chris Adams, vice president and general manager, strategic space systems, Northrop Grumman. “Today, we mark a new chapter for the replica’s new home so it may continue to inspire future generations of scientists and engineers.”
As the prime contractor on Webb, Northrop Grumman led the design, development, observatory integration and prepared the observatory for launch.
Today, Northrop Grumman noted that it supports Webb’s operations and maintenance as the observatory continues to discover never before seen observations of faraway stars and galaxies.
The James Webb Space Telescope is the world’s premier space science observatory. Webb is solving mysteries in the solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it.
Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency.
Northrop Grumman is a global aerospace and defense technology company.
More information:
https://www.northropgrumman.com/
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