euesa1-6, Exercise 2: Hubble and James Webb

Model answer:

Hubble was launched by NASA in 1990. ESA took part from the start, supplying equipment including its solar panels and an instrument, and receives a share of the observing time (often quoted as around a sixth; check).

The James Webb telescope is a joint project of NASA, ESA and the Canadian Space Agency. ESA launched it on an Ariane 5 from Kourou in December 2021 and contributed instruments.

The launch mattered because Europe provided the rocket for NASA's flagship telescope, which showed the value of a reliable launcher of its own (Chapter 4).