NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Completes Final Mirror Inspection Ahead of Launch
Roman Telescope's massive infrared mirror is ready to fly
Universe Today
Image: Universe Today
NASA has finalized the inspection of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope's primary mirror, measuring 2.4 meters in diameter. Set for launch in September 2026, the telescope aims to explore dark matter, exoplanets, and galaxy formation from its position at the Sun-Earth Lagrange point 2, approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth.
- 01The primary mirror of the Roman telescope is coated with a layer of silver just 400 nanometers thick.
- 02The telescope's mission includes studying dark energy, dark matter, and directly imaging exoplanets.
- 03Roman's launch is scheduled for September 2026, after being shipped to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
- 04The telescope will operate from the Sun-Earth Lagrange point 2 (L2), a stable location for space missions.
- 05The total estimated cost for the Roman telescope is nearly $4 billion, significantly lower than the James Webb Space Telescope.
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NASA has completed the final inspection of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope's primary mirror, which is 2.4 meters (7.9 feet) in diameter and features a silver coating just 400 nanometers thick. This telescope is designed to utilize near-infrared light for its mission objectives, which include investigating dark matter and dark energy, discovering exoplanets through direct imaging and gravitational microlensing, and studying galaxy formation and evolution. Scheduled for launch in September 2026, the Roman telescope will be positioned at the Sun-Earth Lagrange point 2 (L2), approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth. This location allows for stable operations with minimal fuel requirements. The Roman telescope, named after Dr. Nancy Grace Roman, has faced various challenges since its inception in 2014 but represents a significant advancement in astronomical research. The completion of the mirror inspection marks a crucial milestone in the project, paving the way for future discoveries about the universe.
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