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This image shows an artist's impression of the James Webb Space Telescope in space. NASA scientists have revealed the first in focus image of a single star taken by their James Webb Space Telescope has taken its first 'in focus' image of a single star. On 11 March 2022, the Webb team completed the stage of alignment known as ??sfine phasing.??? At this key stage in the commissioning of Webb???s Optical Telescope Element, every optical parameter that has been checked and tested is performing at, or above, expectations. They also found no critical issues and no measurable contamination or blockages to the instrument???s optical path. The observatory is now able to successfully gather light from distant objects and deliver it to its instruments without issue. The NASA team were so pleased with its initial images they hope it can exceed its science goals. This would allow them to take much more accurate images of stars, planets and galaxies once the telescope begins its science operations this year (2022). The telescope was launched from the European spaceport in French Guiana on Christmas Day last year, arriving at its final orbit between Earth and the sun on January 24. With the fine phasing stage of the telescope???s alignment complete, the team has now fully aligned Webb???s primary imager, the Near-Infrared Camera, to the observatory???s mirrors. ??sWe have fully aligned and focused the telescope on a star, and the performance is beating specifications. We are excited about what this means for science,??? said Ritva Keski-Kuha, deputy optical telescope element manager for Webb at NASA Goddard. ??sWe now know we have built the right telescope.??? Over the next six weeks, the team will proceed through the remaining alignment steps before final science instrument preparations. The team will further align the telescope to include the Near-Infrared Spectrograph, Mid-Infrared Instrument, and Near InfraRed Imager and Slitless Spectrograph. In this phase of the process, an algorithm will evaluate the performance of each instrument and then calculate the final corrections needed to achieve a well-aligned telescope across all science instruments. Following this, Webb???s final alignment step will begin, and the team will adjust any small, residual positioning errors in the mirror segments. The team is on track to conclude all aspects of Optical Telescope Element alignment by early May, if not sooner, before moving on to approximately two months of science instrument preparations. Webb???s first full-resolution imagery and science data will be released in the summer. Webb is the world's premier space science observatory and once fully operational, will help solve mysteries in our solar system, look beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probe the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners at ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency. Where: United States When: 06 Aug 2007 Credit: NASA/Cover Images **EDITORIAL USE ONLY. MATERIALS ONLY TO BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH EDITORIAL STORY. THE USE OF THESE MATERIALS FOR ADVERTISING, MARKETING OR ANY OTHER COMMERCIAL PURPOSE IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. MATERIAL COPYRIGHT REMAINS WITH STATED SUPPLIER.**