Peru-born engineer belongs to team putting NASA's James Webb telescope into orbit

Photo: Twitter/@aracelyquispen

09:30 | Goddard (U.S.), Dec. 25.

Aracely Quispe Neira, a Peru-born NASA engineer who inspires young Latin Americans to become scientists, has taken on the challenge to work on the James Webb Space Telescope —the premier observatory that will study every phase in the history of our universe following its launch this Christmas Day.

Quispe Neira holds an important position in the program. She leads other ground system engineers with the aim of ensuring efficient spacecraft operations.

"The James Webb program is very original. I feel fortunate to be part of it as a Peruvian and female engineer. This is going to be the successor to Hubble Telescope, with improved technology, and will peer back millions of years to learn about the famous Big Bang," she explained proudly.

Nothing was left to luck in her career. The Peruvian scientist holds a bachelor's degree in System Engineering (in Peru), and another one in Aerospace Technology Engineering (in the United States).

In addition, she holds a master's degree in Astronautics and pursues one in Geospatial Intelligence, as well as a doctoral degree in Sciences.

Sports —karate in particular— played an important role in her discipline and helped her achieve physical and mental balance. Moreover, it taught her how to win and lose with the determination to try again.

CUENTA REGRESIVA PARA EL DÍA HISTÓRICO- EL LANZAMIENTO DEL TELESCOPIO ESPACIAL, JAMES #SoYoPuedoTúPuedes #AQN pic.twitter.com/X6GG71sg1m
— Aracely Quispe Neira (@aracelyquispen) December 24, 2021

¡DÍA HISTÓRICO PARA EL PERÚ!
Es un orgullo como peruana ser parte de la telescopio espacial, James Webb, el telescopio más novedoso que tiene NASA, que busca descubrir los orígenes del universo desde su formación y después del famoso Bing Bang.
El Perú siempre en mi corazón
AQN pic.twitter.com/1jjqKlcyJY
— Aracely Quispe Neira (@aracelyquispen) December 25, 2021

About Webb

The James Webb Space Telescope (sometimes called JWST or Webb) will be a large infrared telescope with a 6.5-meter primary mirror. The telescope was launched on an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana earlier today.

Webb will be the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It will study every phase in the history of the universe, ranging from the first luminous glows after the Big Bang, to the formation of solar systems capable of supporting life on planets like Earth, to the evolution of our own solar system.

Webb was formerly known as the "Next Generation Space Telescope" (NGST); it was renamed in Sept. 2002 after a former NASA administrator, James Webb.