N° 33–2022: Opportunities for European media: James Webb Space telescope first images release
5 July 2022
Media are invited to join ESA at ESOC (Darmstadt, Germany) and ESTEC (Noordwijk, Netherlands) on 12 July for a special activity to celebrate the release of James Webb Space Telescope’s first images, in partnership with NASA and the Canadian Space Agency.
Released one by one, these first images from the world’s largest and most powerful space telescope will demonstrate Webb at its full power, ready to begin its mission to unfold the infrared universe.
The images will be revealed in a live broadcast, which media will be able to watch together with ESA experts at both ESOC and ESTEC, followed by a joint online media briefing from NASA Goddard.
Each image will simultaneously be made available on social media as well as on the agencies’ websites.
Interview opportunities will also be available to members of the press before, during and after the broadcast and media briefing.
Embargoed access to Webb’s first images will not be available prior to their public release.
The following is a list of media opportunities on 12 July for European media.
Media Program at ESOC and ESTEC
15:30 CEST Start of interview opportunities
15.45 CEST NASA, ESA and CSA leadership address
16:30 CEST Live broadcast – James Webb Space Telescope first images revealed
18:00 CEST Joint media briefing from NASA Goddard (remote participation)
18:30 CEST Interview opportunities
19:00 CEST End of event
Spokespersons available for interviews at ESTEC
Peter Rumler
ESA James Webb Space Telescope Project Manager
Available for interviews in English, German and Dutch
Spokespersons available for interviews at ESOC
Kai Noeske
ESA Science Programme Communication Officer
Available for interviews in English and German
Mark McCaughrean
ESA Senior Science and Human Spaceflight Advisor
Available for interviews in English and German
Giovanna Giardino
NIRSpec Instrument Scientist
Available for interviews in English and Italian
At ESOC, additional ESA experts working on astronomy missions including Gaia, Integral and XMM will also be available for media in EN DE FR.
Media registration
Media representatives can register using the link below before 8 July 2022 (23:59 CEST). Please specify which activity you would like to register for.
https://blogs.esa.int/forms/esa-media-briefing-form/
Location
ESTEC
Keplerlaan 1, PO Box 299
NL-2200 AG Noordwijk, The Netherlands
ESOC
Robert-Bosch-Straße 5
64293 Darmstadt, Germany
Community Events in Europe
A variety of community events are taking place in Europe. For a full list, please click here:
Remote interview opportunities for European media
Remote interview opportunities can be set up for ESA spokespersons located at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland (USA), at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore , Maryland (USA) or at the Stockholm “Science with the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes IV” conference.
Please click here for a full list of the available spokespersons (page 24):
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Webb/James_Webb_Space_Telescope_launch_kit
Media interested in remote interview opportunities should contact the ESA Newsroom and Media Relations team at media@esa.int.
Joint press briefing at NASA Goddard
Following the live broadcast from NASA Goddard, ESA-ESOC and CSA headquarters, NASA, ESA and CSA will hold a joint media briefing at NASA Goddard. The briefing will livestream on the agencies’ websites. Deadline for on-site participation has already passed, but media may ask questions on social media using #UnfoldtheUniverse.
Further information
The Webb telescope lifted off on an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana on 25 December 2021 on its exciting mission to unlock the secrets of the Universe. Webb, a partnership between NASA, ESA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), is designed to answer outstanding questions about the Universe and to make breakthrough discoveries in all fields of astronomy.
The major contributions of ESA to the mission are: the NIRSpec instrument; 50% of the MIRI instrument; the provision of the launch services; and personnel to support mission operations. In return for these contributions, European scientists will get a minimum share of 15% of the total observing time, like for the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.
More information about the James Webb Space Telescope:
https://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/science/Webb-LaunchKit_EN.pdf
https://www.esa.int/webb
Science community page: esawebb.org
Previous press releases:
https://www.esa.int/Newsroom/Press_Releases/Media_advisory_Webb_telescope_s_first_images
https://www.esa.int/Newsroom/Press_Releases/Looking_ahead_to_Webb_s_first_images
https://www.esa.int/Newsroom/Press_Releases/Webb_liftoff_on_Ariane_5_to_unlock_secrets_of_the_Universe
More information about ESA: www.esa.int
Social media
Follow ESA
Twitter: @esascience @esa
Instagram: @Europeanspaceagency @esawebb
Facebook: @EuropeanSpaceAgency @ESAWebb
YouTube: ESA
LinkedIn: European Space Agency - ESA https://www.linkedin.com/company/esahubble/
Pinterest: European Space Agency – ESA
Follow European events using the hashtag #EuropeMeetsWebb
Images
JWST Images: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Search?SearchText=James+Webb&result_type=images
ESA's photo library for professionals:
https://www.esa-photolibrary.com/
Terms and conditions for using ESA images:
www.esa.int/spaceinimages/ESA_Multimedia/Copyright_Notice_Images
For questions or more information related to ESA images, please contact directly spaceinimages@esa.int.
Videos
JWST Videos: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Search?SearchText=James+Webb&result_type=videos
ESA's Video Library for Professionals:
https://www.esa.int/esatv/Videos_for_Professionals
Terms and conditions for using ESA videos: https://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/Terms_and_Conditions
For questions or more information related to ESA videos, please contact directly spaceinvideos@esa.int
About the European Space Agency
The European Space Agency (ESA) provides Europe’s gateway to space.
ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
ESA has 22 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Slovenia, Latvia and Lithuania are Associate Members.
ESA has established formal cooperation with six Member States of the EU. Canada takes part in some ESA programmes under a Cooperation Agreement.
By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. It is working in particular with the EU on implementing the Galileo and Copernicus programmes as well as with Eumetsat for the development of meteorological missions.
Learn more about ESA at www.esa.int
For further information:
ESA Newsroom and Media Relations Office – Ninja Menning
Email: media@esa.int
Tel: +31 71 565 6409