Hubble's successor, at last.

Government investment in big, innovative science changes the world-it has allowed us to witness the collision of black holes, create a Global Positioning System that we can carry in our pockets, and unlock the human genome. Government investments in big research and infrastructure yield ever bigger breakthroughs. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), scheduled for liftoff on 22 December, represents a major international commitment. It will more than return its cost in extraordinary discoveries, new technologies, and inspiration to fuel a more diverse science and technology workforce. In short, like most big science infrastructure projects, it's a capital investment in a smarter and brighter future.