The James Webb Space Telescope traces its roots to the workshop: "the Next Generation: A 10 m class UV-Visible-IR Successor to HST,” held at STScI in September 1989. The workshop debated the next scientific and technological steps after Hubble. Following a decade of concept development by numerous scientists and engineers from across NASA, industry, and academia, a proposed 6.5m cold, infrared observatory was recommended as a top priority by the 2000 Decadal Survey. From the mid-2000s, the observatory has been under development by NASA and international partners, ESA and the CSA. In parallel with this effort, STScI has been creating the JWST Science and Operations Center, which encompasses all the systems, tools, and software needed to operate JWST as a scientific observatory, and to interface with the international scientific community. After launch and commissioning, STScI will operate JWST and enable astronomers to maximize the scientific output of the mission.
