Netflix’s ‘Unknown’ science miniseries heads to the heavens in this star-filled documentary.
The James Webb Space Telescope is a space telescope designed to conduct infrared astronomy. Its high-resolution and high-sensitivity instruments allow it to view objects too old, distant, or faint for the Hubble Space Telescope, with unique access behind-the-scenes to NASA’s ambitious mission, we follow a team of engineers and scientists as they take the next giant leap in our quest to understand the universe.
2023 celebrates the one-year anniversary of JWST’s first science observations. The huge observatory has been peering back in time toward the origins of our universe and providing astrophysicists and amateur stargazers across the planet stunning data to dissect. Capturing spectacular images of deep-space objects revealed in unimaginable clarity and scope, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has been a $10 billion triumph of ingenuity and indomitable spirit.
The final installment of Netflix’s four-part “Unknown” docuseries, titled “Cosmic Time Machine,” unveils details of how the biggest-ever space telescope was conceived, developed and launched. Directed by Shai Gal and executive produced by Jason Spingarn-Koff, this illuminating 64-minute film a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into NASA’s decades-long mission to create and deploy the world’s most sophisticated space observatory.
This story starts in 2013, when I spent a year at the University of Michigan on a journalistic fellowship. I met Thomas Zurbuchen, who’d later become the head of all NASA science missions. We became good friends after he was looking for a partner who’d be brave enough to run in the snow with him, and I was the Israeli who agreed to do that. One day I was talking with Thomas and thought maybe we should do something together. He pitched me the story of NASA’s plans to launch the James Webb Space Telescope in about a year. It’s the most complicated mission ever. The most expensive mission ever. And so many people are depending on it.
Shai Gal
Unknown: Cosmic Time Machine is available to stream on Netflix now.
