to deploy antennas, mirrors and sun shield. it is 100 times more powerful than the hubble teescope before it. scientists will get a deeper look into the universe capturing light so far that the lens will show images of what happened 13 billion years into the past, maybe even from the beginning of the universe. we are going to discover incredible things that we never imagined. reporter: the new seven-ton telescope will also expand the search for earth-like planets with elements that make life possible. thousands of people from 14 countries worked on the project for more than two decades, and it will be another six months before it is fully operational. celebrations after a successful launch. we have delivered a christmas gift today to humanity. reporter: a gift of knowledge, perhaps unwrapping