NASA's newest space telescope launches on a quest to explore the hidden universe
The observatory will survey billions of galaxies and could discover up to 200,000 exoplanets, NASA said.
- On Sunday, August 30, 2026, NASA launched the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope from Kennedy Space Center aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. The observatory separated from its rocket 31 minutes later, beginning its journey toward the Sun–Earth Lagrange point L2.
- Scientists designed the $4.3 billion Roman Space Telescope to probe astrophysics mysteries, including dark matter and dark energy, while conducting an unprecedented census of exoplanets and mapping billions of galaxies over its five-year primary mission.
- The Wide Field Instrument uses a 2.4-meter mirror from the National Reconnaissance Office to survey the sky 1,000 times faster than the Hubble Space Telescope, capturing images 100 times larger than its predecessor.
- Mission teams confirmed the observatory began its three-month, million-mile transit toward L2, where it will undergo instrument calibration. NASA expects the first high-resolution science images in early 2027.
- Despite facing multiple termination threats in past fiscal budget requests, the mission launched nine months ahead of its formal schedule. Named for Nancy Grace Roman, NASA's first chief astronomer, the project honors her legacy as the 'Mother of Hubble.
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Roman Space Telescope lifts off
The journey of a million miles began with a successful launch Sunday morning. NASA’s next-generation observatory, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, took off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Aug. 30 at 7:26 a.m. EDT. A SpaceX Falcon Heavy — the company’s heavy-lift rocket, composed of three Falcon 9 boosters strapped together —Continue reading "Roman Space Telescope lifts off" The post Roman Space Telescope lifts off appeared first on…
The United States space agency NASA has launched a new telescope into space, which will aim to create the first map of the cosmos on an unprecedented scale within five years and unlock at least some of the greatest mysteries of physics. The space observatory is expected to help not only answer the question of what the mysterious dark energy is, but also discover new planets suitable for life.
Roman Space Telescope launches to study space in wide-angle view
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launched yesterday on a Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida and will soon begin its mission as NASA's latest eye on the final frontier. If the James Webb Space Telescope is the telephoto, this one is our wide-angle shot. — Read the rest The post Roman Space Telescope launches to study space in wide-angle view appeared first on Boing Boing.
NASA's new telescope will study exoplanets, dark matter and new galaxies
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