As the world tuned in on Christmas morning to see NASAB次元官网网址檚 James Webb Space Telescope lift off, Canadian scientists who played a crucial part in its creation were emotional.

The collaboration between European and Canadian space agencies soared from French Guiana on South AmericaB次元官网网址檚 northeastern coast on Saturday, riding a European Ariane rocket into the Christmas morning skies.

Nathalie Ouellette, outreach scientist for the Webb at the Universit茅 de Montr茅al, was with her family watching the long-awaited launch.

B次元官网网址淭o see the telescope leave Earth B次元官网网址� what a joy for Christmas,B次元官网网址� said Ouellette in an interview Saturday.

B次元官网网址淚 cried. We took a video to commemorate the moment. The launch went perfectly.B次元官网网址�

The telescope will search for unprecedented details on the first galaxies created after the Big Bang, and on the development of potentially life-friendly planets beyond our solar system.

For Lisa Campbell, president of the Canadian Space Agency, the launch was the culmination of a 30-year-old dream.

B次元官网网址淲hat an exceptional day,B次元官网网址� Campbell said.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the most powerful and complex space observatory ever built.B次元官网网址�

Canada has been working on the James Webb Space Telescope almost from the start and will be among the first countries to study its discoveries, she said.

B次元官网网址淚t is a new step in astronomy, in understanding the universe, and our place in it,B次元官网网址� Campbell said.

B次元官网网址淎nd these scientific discoveries will be possible thanks to CanadaB次元官网网址檚 expertise in astronomy.B次元官网网址�

At least half of the 600 scientists in the Canadian Astronomical Society have been involved with the telescope and dozens of engineers are part of its design team.

Ouellette noted that the WebbB次元官网网址檚 work is only beginning.

Most people are familiar with Hubble Space Telescope B次元官网网址� which was launched in 1990 B次元官网网址� but the Webb is set to be 100 times more powerful, she said.

B次元官网网址淲e often talk about Webb as HubbleB次元官网网址檚 successor,B次元官网网址� she explained.

B次元官网网址淲ebb is much bigger, it will capture more distant objects with low luminosity, look further into the history of the universe.B次元官网网址�

The $10 billion telescope started to hurtle toward its destination 1.6 million kilometres away, or more than four times beyond the moon, on Saturday. It will take a month to get there and another five months before its infrared eyes are ready to start scanning the cosmos.

Key to that work will be the Fine Guidance Sensor, which helps aim the telescope, and the Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph, which helps analyze the light it observes.

Both have been designed and built in Canada.

B次元官网网址淲e are the eyes of the telescope, itB次元官网网址檚 Canadian eyes that allow all observations,B次元官网网址� Ouellette said. B次元官网网址淐anada has never been involved at this level in this kind of project.B次元官网网址�

Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne issued a statement to congratulate CanadianB次元官网网址檚 expertise, saying past investments in space technologies made it possible for the country to be B次元官网网址渁n active partner in this exciting mission.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淥nce again, CanadaB次元官网网址檚 space sector is pushing the frontier of science and, more so, of astronomy,B次元官网网址� Champagne said. B次元官网网址淲ebb is the largest space science project in the 60-year history of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 space program.B次元官网网址�

For Daryl Haggard, a professor of physics at MontrealB次元官网网址檚 McGill University and James Webb Space Telescope co-investigator, the telescope is an undeniable source of pride.

B次元官网网址淲e were looking at the launch video, and my husband was pointing out that he could see the logo for NASA, but also the Canadian Space Agency, right there on the rocket,B次元官网网址� she said, her voice breaking with emotion.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 pretty awesome.B次元官网网址�

Haggard said she hopes the project will put Canada on the map for its astronomical expertise.

People usually refer to Canadarm from the Canadian Space Agency, but this country does much more than that, she said. Canadarm is a robotic arm that supported American space shuttle missions for about 30 years from 1981.

In exchange for CanadaB次元官网网址檚 contribution on the telescope, the country is guaranteed at least five per cent of the telescopeB次元官网网址檚 observation time, once data starts to come in about six months.

Campbell said this will allow Canadian scientists to further their studies on exoplanets and black holes among other things.

B次元官网网址淲e will be able to see phenomena at the origin of the creation of our universe, its history,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淲e often wonder why we explore space, but it will tell us so much.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址� With files from The Associated Press

B次元官网网址� With files from Bob Weber in Edmonton

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 25, 2021.

Virginie Ann, The Canadian Press