This year has been an exciting time for space exploration with the successful launch and checkout of the James Webb Space Telescope and successful missions for the United States both in military and commercial launching. The image is of the USSF-12 mission carrying the Wide Field of View (WFOV) with the Wide Area Six-degree Payload. When I am not looking up at the stars, I am supporting GEO and MEO satellite programs for the U.S. Space Force at the Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, CA.
We are seeing more of an effort from the U.S. as well as other countries to deliver space assets into space for the exploration and science experimentation as we are also planning human mission to the Moon and Mars. The Artemis I Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1) an unmanned test flight is scheduled for later this month. This mission is planned for a mission duration of 26 - 42 days in space. Additional information on the Artemis missions can be found NASA at nasa.gov/artemis-1.
The James Webb Space Telescope (called the JWSP or Webb) is a large infrared telescope with 6.5 meter primary mirror is now delivering stunning images from deep space unlike we have ever seen before. As of this date, the JWSP has discovered the oldest galaxy ever recorded. The GLASS-z13 star cluster was formed some 300 million years after the Big Bang. This galaxy is 100 million years older than the previous oldest galaxy (GN-z11) seen by the Hubble Space Telescope. What do you think the next discovery will bring?