At around 2:00 pm Eastern Time (1900 GMT), the observatory fired its thrusters for five minutes in order to reach the so-called second Lagrange point, or L2, where it will have access to nearly half the sky at any given moment.

"Webb, welcome home!" said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson in a statement.

"We're one step closer to uncovering the mysteries of the universe. And I can't wait to see Webb's first new views of the universe this summer!"

In this region of space, it will stay in line with the Earth as it moves around the Sun, allowing Webb's sunshield to protect its sensitive equipment from heat and light.