NASA has successfully launched its newest space telescope on an ambitious mission to explore some of the deepest mysteries of the universe. The $4.3 billion Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will search for planets beyond our solar system, study billions of galaxies and help scientists better understand dark matter and dark energy. Its unusually wide view and powerful instruments could allow astronomers to see parts of the cosmos in ways that have never been possible before.
A Powerful New Telescope Begins Its Journey
The Roman Space Telescope launched Sunday, August 30, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
Shortly after liftoff, the Falcon Heavy’s two reusable side boosters returned to Cape Canaveral and landed successfully. Roman then separated from the rocket’s upper stage, drawing applause from mission controllers.
The bus-sized telescope is now traveling toward an observation point about 1 million miles, or 1.6 million kilometers, from Earth. The journey is expected to take more than three months.
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope already operates in the same general region of space.
NASA science mission director Nicky Fox became emotional while watching the successful launch.
“It’s such a good day!” Fox said.
Roman Will Search a Huge Part of the Cosmos
Roman’s greatest advantage is the enormous amount of sky it can observe at once.
Its field of view is more than 100 times wider than that of the Hubble Space Telescope. Roman’s wide-field infrared camera has sensitivity comparable to Hubble’s but can survey the sky about 1,000 times faster.
NASA expects the telescope to discover thousands of supernovae, tens of thousands of planets and enormous numbers of previously cataloged stars and galaxies.
That ability could transform the way astronomers study large areas of the universe. Instead of focusing mainly on individual objects, Roman can rapidly survey huge sections of space and identify interesting targets for other telescopes to examine more closely.
Senior project scientist Julie McEnery described the telescope’s potential before the launch.
“Roman’s vast reach will allow us to find the weird, the rare and the unusual,” McEnery said.
Roman, Hubble and Webb Will Work Together
Roman is not designed to replace Hubble or the James Webb Space Telescope. Instead, the three observatories can complement one another.
Hubble has spent more than three decades producing detailed observations of stars, galaxies and other objects. Webb can look even deeper into space and examine extremely distant objects with powerful infrared instruments.
Roman will take a different approach by surveying much larger areas.
When Roman discovers unusual galaxies, stars or planets, Webb and other observatories can conduct more detailed observations of those objects.
Roman will also contribute to a larger international effort that includes the European Space Agency’s Euclid spacecraft and the National Science Foundation’s Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile.
Together, these observatories could provide scientists with an unprecedented picture of how the universe formed and changed.
Dark Matter and Dark Energy Take Center Stage
One of Roman’s biggest scientific goals involves something scientists cannot directly see.
Dark matter and dark energy are believed to make up most of the universe, yet their true nature remains one of the biggest mysteries in modern physics.
Dark matter does not produce light, but scientists can detect its gravitational effects on galaxies and other objects. Dark energy is the name given to the mysterious force believed to be driving the accelerating expansion of the universe.
Roman will map enormous numbers of galaxies, helping researchers study how matter is distributed throughout space and how quickly the universe has expanded over time.
Those observations could provide new clues about the forces that have shaped the cosmos for billions of years.
A New Tool for Finding Distant Planets
Roman will also become an important planet-hunting telescope.
Scientists expect it to discover tens of thousands of planets orbiting stars beyond our solar system. Some of these worlds may be very different from planets astronomers have already discovered.
The telescope also carries an experimental coronagraph. The instrument can block the bright light coming from a star, making it easier to directly observe much fainter planets orbiting nearby.
Roman itself is not designed specifically to search for signs of life. However, NASA believes its discoveries could help future space telescopes investigate one of humanity’s oldest questions: whether life exists elsewhere in the universe.
One Month of Roman Could Equal a Century of Hubble
Speed could make Roman especially valuable to astronomers.
According to McEnery, observations of the Milky Way that Roman could complete in about one month would require roughly a century for Hubble to perform.
Roman is expected to examine the galactic bulge near the center of the Milky Way and provide one of the deepest views ever made of this crowded region.
Its combination of speed, sensitivity and a massive field of view means scientists could collect enormous amounts of astronomical data during the mission.
Roman was also designed so that it could potentially be refueled. If a suitable robotic spacecraft becomes available in the coming decade, NASA could extend the telescope’s operating life beyond its original mission.
A Telescope Named for a NASA Pioneer
The observatory is named after Nancy Grace Roman, NASA’s first chief astronomer and one of the most important figures in the development of space-based astronomy.
Roman joined the newly created NASA in 1959 and strongly supported the idea of putting telescopes above Earth’s atmosphere, where they could observe the universe without atmospheric interference.
Her work helped lay the foundation for the Hubble Space Telescope, earning her the nickname “Mother of Hubble.” Roman died in 2018 at age 93.
The Roman Space Telescope is NASA’s first space telescope named after a woman. It launched nearly a year ahead of schedule and within its planned budget.
Roman’s Mirror Has an Unusual History
One of the telescope’s most important components originally had a completely different purpose.
Roman’s primary mirror measures nearly 8 feet, or 2.4 meters, across, making it about the same size as Hubble’s main mirror.
But NASA did not originally build it for an astronomy mission.
The mirror came from unused spy satellite equipment donated to NASA by the National Reconnaissance Office more than a decade ago. The agency donated two surplus mirrors, allowing NASA to repurpose one for Roman.
The unusual origin shows how technology originally developed for observing Earth can be adapted to explore the universe.
A New Era of Discovery Begins
Roman’s successful launch gives astronomers a new way to study the universe on an enormous scale. Its ability to rapidly survey billions of stars and galaxies could reveal objects scientists do not yet know exist while providing new information about planets, dark matter, dark energy and the history of the cosmos.
Once Roman reaches its destination and begins scientific operations, its discoveries will complement Hubble, Webb and other major observatories. The telescope’s greatest contribution may ultimately come from the unexpected discoveries hidden within the huge areas of space it will observe.
