James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) sunshield testing. Successful test of the JWST fully extending its sunshield (silver). The Sunshield consists of five layers of thin membrane that will separate the observatory into a warm sun-facing side and a cold side where the sunshine is blocked from interfering with the sensitive infrared instruments. The JWST is an infrared telescope that is scheduled to be launched in October 2021. It will be positioned near the Earth-Sun L2 Lagrangian point. It will study the formation of stars and planetary systems, and the history of the universe. By using infrared wavelengths, the JWST will be able to see through much of the dust that obscures visible light. It will also study dark matter, which is thought to form the majority of the matter in the universe. Photographed at Northrop Grumman?檚 Space Park in Redondo Beach, California, USA.