PBS Space Time Season 2017 Episode 33 The Future of Space Telescope

PBS Space Time's season 2017 episode 33, titled "The Future of Space Telescope," explores the next generation of space telescopes and the incredible advancements they will bring to our understanding of the universe.

The episode begins by discussing the Hubble Space Telescope, which has been in orbit since 1990 and has revolutionized our understanding of the universe. However, Hubble is reaching the end of its operational life, which has led astronomers to develop plans for its successor.

The episode introduces several proposed next-generation telescopes, such as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST), and the Large Ultraviolet Optical Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR). Each of these telescopes will have their own unique capabilities and will be able to answer different scientific questions.

The James Webb Space Telescope, which is planned to launch in 2021, is designed to observe the first stars and galaxies that formed in the early universe. It will be able to see farther back in time than any other telescope and will provide scientists with a glimpse of the universe's first moments.

The Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope, which is expected to launch in the mid-2020s, will have the ability to survey the entire sky in the infrared spectrum. This will allow researchers to study everything from dark energy and dark matter to distant galaxies.

The Large Ultraviolet Optical Infrared Surveyor is a proposed telescope that could launch in the 2030s. It will be able to observe exoplanets in detail, study regions of star and planet formation, and look for signs of life in the universe.

The episode explains that these telescopes will be able to make groundbreaking discoveries and answer some of the most fundamental questions about the universe's origins, evolution, and composition. They will also be critical for the search for extraterrestrial life and could help answer questions about the limits of life in the universe.

The show also discusses some of the challenges associated with developing these telescopes, such as maintaining their complex instruments in the harsh environment of space and managing the tremendous amounts of data they will generate. Despite these challenges, scientists remain optimistic that these telescopes will provide us with new insights into the universe and help us better understand our place within it.

Overall, PBS Space Time's episode "The Future of Space Telescope" provides an in-depth look into the exciting developments in space telescope technology and the incredible discoveries that these telescopes will make possible.