NIRCam – the Eye of the James Webb Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope is one of the greatest scientific and engineering achievements of mankind. The Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) is the scientific heart of Webb, and it serves as cosmic explorer helping answer questions like : where did we come from, how did the universe begin, are we alone? This book is about the development of NIRCam and its success on orbit, written by its creators. NIRCam can navigate never seen before regions of space and time. It detects light emitted from objects over 13 billion years ago. It can detect the first starlight ever seen after the dark ages. It allows us to see the amazing birth and death of stars spanning their beautiful life cycles. It helps us understand the secrets of galaxy evolution. With its suite of science instruments, it provides a means to study and characterize planetary systems. With incredible sensitivity and resolution, the combination of NIRCam and Webb give us an unprecedented capability. Together, they provide a powerful tool to search other worlds for the ingredients and existence of life itself. NIRCam and Webb have ushered in a revolutionary new era in Astronomy. This NIRCam story is intended to be an inspiration for the next generation of engineers and scientists to work in space exploration and seek a better understanding of the universe we all live in. This book is intended to inform, entertain, and make the reader smile. This team has helped thousands of young women to pursue their dreams through public outreach. Go Girl Scouts! The book tells you how the team is inspiring the next generation of brilliant young people to carry on their curiosity into adulthood.