James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)

Ariane 5 launched NASA, ESA, and CSA's James Webb Space Telescope from Kourou toward the Sun-Earth L2 point, sending the largest and most powerful infrared space observatory ever built on its month-long journey to its operational orbit.

Outcome

Success

Orbit

L2

Sun-Earth L2

Payload to orbit

6.2 T

Flight

6th

of 11 Ariane 5 ECA+ flights

Date and time

25 December 2021, 12:20 UTC

Rocket

Ariane 5 ECA+

Builder

ArianeGroup

Launch site

Ariane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

Payload

Astrophysics

International designator

2021-130

Launches in 2021

140th of 146

See it in orbit

Space Atlas shows the satellites and rocket stages from this launch in 3D.

View satellites in Space Atlas↗