Exploring strange new worlds. Understanding the origins of the universe. Searching for life in the galaxy. These are not the plot of a new science fiction movie, but the mission objectives of the James Webb Space Telescope, the long-awaited successor to the Hubble Space Telescope. Over the course of several weeks, it needs to unfurl its various components, from its sunshield to its mirrors. But when it fully deploys in space, the Webb will usher in a new age of astronomy, scientists say, and show humanity things it has never seen before.