The James Webb Space Telescope is the largest, most complex observatory sent into space.

Webb’s innovative design tackles the two main challenges for an infrared telescope: It needs a very large mirror to collect enough light, and it has to be kept cold to keep unwanted sources of infrared from interfering with the light being observed.

Webb’s key components include an enormous primary mirror to collect infrared light, a supersized sunshield to keep the telescope cold, and four scientific instruments to conduct its ambitious science operations.

The size of the mirror and sunshield present another challenge: Webb must fit into the limited space within a launch vehicle.

Scientists and engineers came up with a creative solution by turning Webb into a piece of enormous origami.

The telescope is designed to neatly fold upon itself for launch, then complete a complicated series of steps to unfurl on its way to its observation post a million miles from Earth.

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