NASA James Webb Successor? Thin-Lensed Design to Bring More Powerful Tech with Diffractive Lenses

Amidst the recent celebration of the James Webb Space Telescope's first anniversary of its space exploration, there are claims from an astrobiologist that their team is already developing a better design for space telescopes. This new space telescope development will use a thin-lensed design that was said to surpass the most powerful telescope at present.

NASA James Webb is the core of humanity's development for better space exploration and seeing significant phenomena across different galaxies, especially with exoplanet discoveries.

NASA James Webb Successor? Thin-Lensed Design is Significantly Better

Daniel Apai, an astrobiologist Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences, University of Arizona, has revealed (via The Conversation) that there is a new development that can surpass the JWST.

Now this is a massive claim, especially as the James Webb is the current most powerful space telescope in the world and one that could "far surpass" the current device is a next-level development.

As per Apai, the new proposal is called the Nautilus Space Observatory which will feature a thin-lensed design that will bring a lighter body as it foregoes the mirrors. Hubble and Webb both use mirrors to collect light from distant entities that allow these telescopes to identify them in vast space.

With the new design, they could deliver a lighter, more powerful, and cheaper space telescope that is better than the JWST, as per the astrobiologist's claims.

A More Powerful Space Telescope Centering on Diffractive Lenses

The new thin, diffractive lens design is far cheaper to produce, especially as the JWST cost a whopping $8 billion and took as much as 20 years to build before its deployment last year. Apai regarded that with this new design, a network of larger telescopes with diffractive lenses may be deployed in orbit, all featuring the powerful capabilities to detect more from space.

NASA James Webb Space Telescope and its Discoveries

Undoubtedly, the James Webb is the current most powerful space telescope in the world, and this is because of its significant capabilities that could zoom in on far cosmic entities while still retaining its superb quality.

It is no stranger to ancient galaxies that help humans learn more of the universe's past, those that are as old as the Big Bang and can redefine history.

Light years away are not something a human can hope to reach in their current average lifespan, but the JWST can see it in an instant, as it focuses its mirrors to capture that specific indication from space.

The Webb proved that it can spot vital life components from space, with one example being the carbon compound from within the Orion Nebula.

NASA and partners have had a successful year with the James Webb Space Telescope and the device is here to stay for more of what the cosmos has to offer.

Still, a new development is coming, and it is set to bring a better version of the Webb that would no longer rely on mirrors, but with thin, diffractive lenses that will advance space studies.