WASHINGTON, December 26. / TASS /. US President Joe Biden has congratulated NASA experts on the launch of the James Webb telescope, admitting that "this project was a risky endeavor."
"Congratulations to NASA and all who made today’s launch of the James Webb telescope possible. Webb is a shining example of the power of what we can accomplish when we dream big. We've always known that this project would be a risky endeavor, but with big risk comes big reward," the head of state said on his Twitter page.
In turn, US Vice President Kamala Harris conveyed her sincere congratulations. "This launch from NASA is an important moment in history. The Webb telescope will allow us to make new advancements in science and our understanding of the universe. Congratulations to everyone who helped make this million-mile journey begin," Harris stated.
American entrepreneur and business magnate Elon Musk, who heads Tesla and SpaceX, also commented on this significant event. "Congratulations, this is major," he said on Twitter.
The James Webb Space Telescope lifted off atop an Ariane 5 rocket earlier on Saturday. The launch took place from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.
About the telescope
The James Webb Space Telescope is a joint project of NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). According to SpaceNews, NASA has already invested $8.8 bln in its implementation, while the ESA has put $815 mln and the CSA has spent some $165 mln.
The telescope, named after head of the Apollo moon program James Webb, is going to replace the Hubble observatory in orbit. Initially, this project was planned for 2013 but the work has fallen behind the schedule.