Europe’s role in Webb
Webb is an international project led by NASA with its partners ESA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
ESA's main contributions to the Webb mission are:
- The NIRSpec instrument
- Several key components of the MIRI instrument, amounting to 50% of the whole instrument, through special funding from the ESA Member States (European Consortium)
- The Ariane 5 ECA (Evolved Cryogenic, model A) launcher and all launch services at Europe's Spaceport in Kourou.
- 15 scientists to support mission operations at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, USA.
In return for the European contributions, ESA gains full partnership in Webb and secures full access to the Webb observatory for astronomers from ESA Member States on identical terms to those of today on Hubble, which amounts to a minimum share of 15% of the total observing time. European scientists are also represented on all advisory bodies of the project.