WASHINGTON, May 10 (Xinhua) -- NASA will display a full scale model of the two-storey high James Webb Space Telescope in Washington on Thursday.

The Webb telescope, the next generation space telescope, is much larger than the Hubble Space Telescope, its predecessor.

The Webb model stands two-storey high and weighs several tons. It is approximately 25 meters long, 12 meters wide and 12 meters tall.

The life-sized model is designed to give visitors a better understanding of the size, scale and complexity of the orbiting infrared observatory that is expected to be launched in 2013.

The real James Webb telescope is a 21st century space observatory that will peer back nearly 13 billion years in time to understand the evolution of our own solar system and the formation of galaxies, stars and planets.

Visitors to the model will be able to talk to staff from NASA and Northrop Grumman, the contractor who built the model, and to the people who are involved in the project to build the real Webb Telescope.

NASA will also display exhibits on its balloon program, the International Space Station, the Cassini Mission to Saturn, the Mars rovers and giant inflatable models of the space shuttle, the Orion crew exploration vehicle, and the Ares I rocket.

The display, from Thursday to Saturday on the National Mall in Washington D.C., is free and open to visitors. It is part of U.S. Public Service Recognition Week.