From the Big Bang to the James Webb Telescope October 8, 2009

The origin of the universe has been a source of fascination for centuries. In recent years, advanced technologies such as the Hubble Space Telescope and the Cosmic Background Explorer satellite have done much to illuminate how the universe began -- providing proof of the big-bang theory in the process. The planned launch in 2014 of the James Webb Space Telescope, an orbiting infrared observatory, is expected to extend the discoveries and capabilities of the Hubble telescope and provide closer examination of the beginning of time. Join John C. Mather, senior astrophysicist in the Observational Cosmology Laboratory at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and a member of the National Academy of Sciences, as he provides a brief history of the universe and discusses NASA's plans for its newest telescope. The program coincides with World Space Week, being held Oct. 4-10.