Northrop Grumman is displaying a full scale model of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) at the 21st National Space Symposium in Colorado Springs. More than 6,500 space professionals from around the world are expected to participate. The model, which took more than two days to assemble, is positioned in the static display area for all to see. Northrop Grumman officials say that the model was built to show the complexity of the undertaking involved in building this next generation telescope.

In 2002, Northrop Grumman Space Technology was selected as the prime contractor to the develop JWST. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center is managing the JWST project, and the Space Telescope Science Institute is responsible for JWST science and mission operations, as well as ground station development.

Currently scheduled for launch in 2011, JWST will begin performing its science mission approximately 6 months after launch.  JWST will take its place in space approximately 930,000 miles beyond Earth’s orbit (nearly four times the distance from the Earth to the moon), where the temperature is very stable. The James Webb Space Telescope, previously called the Next Generation Space Telescope, was renamed in late 2002 in honor of the famed NASA administrator from the Apollo era.

Image Below: Photo of a full scale model of the James Webb Space Telescope at the National Space Symposium. Credit: Northrop Grumman