James Webb Space Telescope (NASA/ESA/CSA, 2021)

The James Webb Space Telescope delivered the deepest and sharpest infrared images of the universe ever taken, reshaping our cosmic understanding. Launched in December 2021 after a 25-year development and $10 billion budget, its 6.5-meter golden mirror flawlessly unfolded at L2, 1.5 million km from Earth. By July 2022, it had captured galaxy candidates from just 300 million years after the Big Bang—far earlier than any prior mission, forcing a revision of galaxy formation theories. Webb also detected carbon dioxide in exoplanet WASP-39 b's atmosphere in 2022, a level of detail 100 times greater than what Hubble achieved on similar targets. Expected to operate for at least 20 years, it outperforms #10's Artemis timeline by offering immediate scientific return.