Status of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a 6.5-meter, space telescope designed for infrared imaging and spectroscopy. Its planned launch in 2013, aboard an Ariane 5, will place it in n L2 orbit. The JWST program is a cooperative program with the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) managing the project for NASA. The prime contractor for JWST is Northrop Grumman Space Technology (NGST). JWST's international partners are the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). JWST will address four major science themes: First light and re-ionization; the assembly of galaxies, the birth of stars and protoplanetary systems; and the formation of planetary systems and the origins of life. We discuss the design of the observatory as it is currently base-lined, and review recent progress with the observatory.