Which NASA center managed JWST's telescope development?

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center managed the James Webb Space Telescope’s telescope development. Located in Greenbelt, Maryland, Goddard served as NASA’s central management and technical center for the mission.

Goddard coordinated the telescope’s development and oversaw work by the Space Telescope Science Institute, Northrop Grumman, and other partners. Its responsibilities included integrating major systems, supporting testing, and managing the scientific observatory for NASA.

Several other NASA centers contributed, which can cause confusion. Johnson Space Center supported cryogenic testing, Marshall Space Flight Center contributed to mirror and optical testing, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory helped with instrument work. Those contributions did not make them the mission’s managing center.

After launch, the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore became responsible for operating JWST and distributing observing time. Goddard, however, remained NASA’s mission-management center.