9–13 Feb 2026
University of Canterbury
Pacific/Auckland timezone

The James Webb Space Telescope: Engineering a New Era of Discovery

9 Feb 2026, 13:00
20m
Rātā / Engineering Core Building (University of Canterbury)

Rātā / Engineering Core Building

University of Canterbury

63 Creyke Road, Ilam, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand

Speaker

Armin Rest (STScI)

Description

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is the most complex and sensitive space observatory ever deployed, combining revolutionary engineering with unprecedented scientific capability. With its segmented 6.5-meter primary mirror and suite of infrared instruments, JWST enables observations of the Universe with extraordinary sensitivity and angular resolution. In this talk, I will discuss the key technical innovations that underpin JWST’s performance, as well as the challenges and excitement of on-orbit commissioning. I will also address some of the operational and technical obstacles encountered during the first years of science operations. Finally, I will highlight a selection of scientific results and demonstrate how JWST’s engineering design directly enables these new discoveries.

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