Webb & Other Space Telescopes

This page compares the specifications and capabilities of three space telescopes that ESA has contributed to: Hubble, Herschel and Webb. Together, they are building a treasure trove of data for the scientific community.

Hubble and Webb will complement each other, as Webb will be pushing beyond Hubble’s limits to look back even farther and observe the first stars and galaxies forming. ESA's Herschel Space Observatory flew the largest single mirror ever built for a space telescope prior to Webb’s mirror – which is nearly double the size. Together, these observatories cover a large extent of the electromagnetic spectrum, providing a panchromatic view of the Universe.