A Cold Universe: The James Webb Space Telescope, MIRI, and the Cryocooler (Live Public Talk)

Future Space

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) launched in 2021 to study the universe and released its first stunning images last year. To make those incredible images, the telescope’s instruments have to be cooled down to almost the coldest temperature matter can reach. This is made possible by the cryocooler, which can cool instruments to less than 7 kelvins, or -447 F. The Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) is the coldest instrument onboard.

Credit NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory