The Science Performance of JWST as Characterized in Commissioning

TLDR

This paper characterizes the actual science performance of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) based on its six‑month commissioning period. The authors summarize the performance of JWST’s spacecraft, telescope, science instruments, and ground system, highlighting differences from pre‑launch expectations. Commissioning demonstrates that JWST fully meets its design goals, surpassing expectations in sensitivity, stability, image quality, and spectral range, enabling deeper, faster observations from near‑Earth asteroids to the most distant galaxies.

Abstract

Abstract This paper characterizes the actual science performance of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), as determined from the six month commissioning period. We summarize the performance of the spacecraft, telescope, science instruments, and ground system, with an emphasis on differences from pre-launch expectations. Commissioning has made clear that JWST is fully capable of achieving the discoveries for which it was built. Moreover, almost across the board, the science performance of JWST is better than expected; in most cases, JWST will go deeper faster than expected. The telescope and instrument suite have demonstrated the sensitivity, stability, image quality, and spectral range that are necessary to transform our understanding of the cosmos through observations spanning from near-earth asteroids to the most distant galaxies.