Uploaded September 2023 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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The James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST, is the greatest telescope ever constructed. But between ballooning budgets, a decade and a half of launch delays, and a huge controversy over the name; getting this thing into space was a nightmare.

Nick Lucid - Host, Writer, Editor, Animator
Em Lucid - Producer

Thanks to Mr. Beat for the cameo:
youtube.com/@iammrbeat
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VIDEO ANNOTATIONS/CARDS

Lagrange Points:
youtu.be/TryOFDe2K7M

"Bowling Ball in a Boat" Paradox:
youtu.be/MY-tCL7ORxs
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RELATED YOUTUBE VIDEOS

Real Engineering on JWST:
youtu.be/aICaAEXDJQQ
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SOURCES

NASA's Report on James Webb:
nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/nasa_historical_investigation_james_webb_0.pdf

JWST History:
https://www.stsci.edu/files/live/sites/www/files/home/hst/documentation/_documents/NextGenerationSpaceTelescope.pdf
https://www.stsci.edu/jwst/about-jwst/history
webbtelescope.org/news/milestones/mission-timeline
planetary.org/articles/cost-of-the-jwst
gao.gov/products/gao-18-273

James Webb History:
en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_E._Webb&oldid=427970219
hmoluseyi.medium.com/was-nasas-historic-leader-james-webb-a-bigot-131c821d5f12
thestranger.com/blogs/2015/01/21/21510326/should-nasa-name-a-telescope-after-a-dead-guy-who-persecuted-gay-people-in-the-1950s
web.archive.org/web/20150614012201/https://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewfrancis/2015/06/11/the-problem-with-naming-observatories-for-bigots
google.com/books/edition/Toward_Stonewall/foG86j3QEWgC?hl=en&gbpv=1
https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-9835-prescribing-procedures-for-the-administration-employees-loyalty
https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-10450-security-requirements-for-government-employment
casemine.com/judgement/us/5e787d2d4653d0631857c2df
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LINKS TO COMMENTS

youtube.com/watch?v=MY-tCL7ORxs&lc=UgwBHOZnHOamqGTz3Qd4AaABAg
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IMAGE/VIDEO CREDITS

Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images

Space Images:
nasa.gov/content/hubbles-mirror-flaw
svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/31186

JWST B-Roll and Simulations:
svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13521
svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/20358
svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14016
svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13375
svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14381
nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2017/james-webb-space-telescope-mirror-seen-in-full-bloom

Space Race Clips:
youtu.be/ZV80aC9V97w
youtu.be/_d-q1Te1IuY
youtu.be/dw7CeN1xvIQ

People:
Wikimedia Commons, Library of Congress, whitehouse.gov, and Getty Images
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TIME CODES

00:00 Cold Open
00:39 Brainstorming JWST
02:06 Budget Problems
03:44 Launch Delays
05:03 Named after James Webb
05:33 Inflammatory Quote
06:13 Origin of Misinformation
07:22 Mr. Beat on the State Department
09:02 James Webb as the Deputy Secretary
09:49 The Lavender Scare
11:30 James Webb's Involvement
12:25 Executive Order 10450
13:06 Summary
13:55 Nebula Ad
14:15 Outro
15:24 Featured Comment