NASA will launch a new telescope into space within 20 years at a cost of $11 billion to replace James Webb

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is working on a new space telescope. It will replace the James Webb Space Telescope, which has been operating for about six months.

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A final name for the observatory has not yet been chosen. For now, the space telescope appears as the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO). It will be able to operate for several decades.

HWO will support robotic maintenance. For this reason, the observatory will be able to last longer than James Webb. In addition, it will cost less to maintain than Hubble, which was handled by astronauts on the shuttles.

NASA has no plans to make the HWO an ultra-modern solution, which has no analogues. This is due to the fact that much more money was spent on the development of James Webb than planned. Therefore, the agency will use mostly existing technology, including the 6-meter mirror. Of course, it will not be without improvements either. The mirror already mentioned will be upgraded to reduce the surface curvature by hundreds of times.

The cost of Habitable Worlds Observatory will be at least $11 billion. The launch of the space telescope will be held by the early 40's. One of the tasks of HWO will study and search for life on the nearest exoplanets to Earth.

Source: Science