When the startling picture of space taken by the James Webb Space Telescope were unveiled to the public this week by President Biden, Oklahoma congressman Frank Lucas was among those marveling at the clarity and preciseness of the photograph.
Rep. Lucas, the ranking member of the U.S. House Science, Space and Technology committee immediately offered his congratulations to those who were responsible for the historic picture.
“This image is the product of years of hard work and dedication by NASA and its partners, and it showcases the incredible value of America’s innovative and collaborative approach to space science,” said Lucas.
“The James Webb Space Telescope will allow us to see farther back in space and time than we ever have before, giving us insights into how the first galaxies formed more than 13 billion years ago.”
The image release marks the beginning of Webb’s science operations. JWST is an international collaboration among the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). The remaining images were released Tuesday.
“I’d like to congratulate all the dedicated scientists, technicians, engineers, and staff who made this possible. I look forward to seeing JWST’s discoveries and I hope that it inspires the next generation of STEM students to pursue their dreams,” added the western Oklahoma congressman.