On Wednesday, NASA's officials told members of Congress that NASA's successor to the Hubble Space Telescope is on schedule and budget for now. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has been scheduled to be launched to space in three years. And it is intended to help scientists know more regarding the mechanics of the cosmos.

NASA associate administrator in the science mission directorate John Grunsfeld said during a US House of Representatives space subcommittee hearing, "This next great space observatory, and indeed the world's most powerful planned space telescope, remains within budget and on track to meet its October 2018 launch readiness date. NASA will meet the science community's ambitious goals with Webb [JWST]".

NASA engineers are also testing the JWST's sunshield, which has been made to keep the instruments cool, installed on the craft so that it can explore more profoundly from deep space.

After the JWST is launched, its sensitive machinery will be used in order to search for objects in the early universe. According to JWST scientist and Nobel Prize winner John Mather, the telescope can also help researchers find out about the formation of the early universe.

According to Mather, their country is an exceptional country, which thought of something like Webb and they look forward to making the dream true. Cristina Chaplain, of the United States Government Accountability Office, said that the JWST project has now reached a difficult phase of development, which can take additional 3.5 years to complete.

Chaplain added that it is one of the most complex projects of NASA and many risks are also associated with the project.