Royal Astronomical Society reconsiders position on NASA's James Webb Space Telescope over gay discrimination claims

21 December 2022, 15:50 | Updated: 23 December 2022, 15:03

The Royal Astronomical Society is considering changing its position on NASA's James Webb Space Telescope over claims its former boss and namesake discriminated against gay employees.

The row of stratospheric proportions first erupted in October after the society ordered its 4,000 members to stop using the telescope's name in studies.

The move relates to archaic claims James Webb fired NASA employees over their sexual orientation.

The James Webb Telescope is widely regarded as the most powerful observatory ever built, named after the former head of NASA who ran the space agency during the mid 1960s.

A statement released by the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) at the time said that despite Webb's stewardship leading to the success of projects including the Apollo landings, "dismissing employees for the sexual orientation is entirely unacceptable."

Read more: Man accused of killing pregnant girlfriend with a pair of scissors in 'exceptionally brutal' attack

Read more: Couple's Lapland engagement 'ruined' after baggage chaos at Heathrow

The society added: "His historical reputation is however compromised by evidence that he took part in purges of gay men from the federal workforce in the 1940s and 1950s in the so-called Lavender Scare.

Nasa have now attempted to dispel the claims, with chief historian, Brian Odom, issuing an 89-page report concluding the accusations were misplaced.

The space agency did however acknowledged the federal government had "shamefully promoted" discrimination against gay employees at the time, concluding there was no available evidence to "directly link" Webb to such accusations.

The Royal society has now written to the UK Space Agency, the European Space Agency and Nasa to express concerns about the telescope's naming process.

Highlighted the lack of any form of investigation into James Webb's background, they also queried the dismissal of requests to rename the telescope.

In light of Nasa's findings, the RAS has also said it's now considering whether to change its position.

Speaking to The Times, the RAS said: "We're very much aware of the report".

"We've looked at it with great interest, and our council is considering the best way to respond. 'We just haven't reached that position yet."

They added: "Until that investigation takes place and the results are made public, the RAS now expects authors submitting scientific papers to its journals to use the JWST acronym rather than the full name of the observatory."

A spokesperson for the RAS told LBC: "The Royal Astronomical Society has never called for a boycott of JWST. In November we ran a scientific meeting dedicated to presenting results from the telescope, our president welcomed its first light in July, and we continue to celebrate its discoveries."