The Challenge
Background
The James Webb Space Telescope will be NASA’s next premier space science observatory and will advance the agency’s vision to “discover and expand knowledge for the benefit of humanity.” NASA named the observatory after its second administrator, James E. Webb, who helped establish the Apollo program that landed humans on the Moon.
Webb will launch from French Guiana in South America and embark on a historic mission in an orbit nearly a million miles from Earth. Webb will help scientists discover the secrets of the universe and explore our solar system and beyond, expanding upon the scientific discoveries of NASA’s other space observatories (such as Hubble, Spitzer, and Chandra).
Webb is designed to look far back in time—over 13.5 billion years—to study an extremely wide range of astrophysical phenomena. Webb will explore all phases of our cosmic history. By observing the infrared light from the first luminous objects that formed in the early universe, Webb will be able to see the evolution of galaxies and the birth of stellar systems. Webb will study objects in our solar system and nearby planets orbiting other stars, known as exoplanets.
Your challenge is to create an animated cartoon/virtual reality environment or game using visuals of Webb’s hardware and hardware deployment timeline. You can make it competitive or collaborative, from single-player to multiplayer. You can focus on the science, data, or the aesthetics. Consider incorporating educational features, potentially highlighting its scientific instruments, deployment capabilities, and more using NASA’s data and publications on Webb’s engineering innovations. The story of the product is up to you!