The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is a NASA observatory designed to study dark energy, exoplanets, and infrared astrophysics. According to NASA, the spacecraft originally began its life as a spy satellite built for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) before being transferred to the space agency approximately 15 years ago.
From Spy Satellite to NASA Observatory
Alan Dressler stood inside a New York defense contractor’s clean room in 2012 and faced an assembly line of Hubble-capable telescopes built as spy satellites, according to Scientific American. When a post-9/11 spy program collapsed, the NRO found itself with spare hardware and offered the telescopes to NASA for free. Following major modifications, the observatory sits in Florida ready for a launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, according to Scientific American and NPR reports.
Unraveling Dark Energy and Cosmic Expansion
Scientists will use the telescope to study dark energy, an invisible force driving galaxies apart that accounts for more than two-thirds of the universe’s mass and energy, according to Scientific American. At the turn of the millennium, astronomers observing distant type Ia supernovae discovered that the universe’s expansion is speeding up. According to Scientific American, the mission will observe supernovae and measure galaxy shapes to help researchers understand this cosmic acceleration.
Exoplanet Discovery and Future Missions
Beyond dark energy, the mission will find more alien worlds outside our solar system than ever before and test crucial technology that may one day reveal life on those planets, according to Scientific American. Julie McEnery, senior project scientist at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, described the hardware to Scientific American as a telescope capable of “spectacular things.” NPR notes the mission has a planned five-year duration.
Did You Know?
NASA administrator Jared Isaacman noted during an April press conference covered by Scientific American that the mission is set to launch under budget and ahead of schedule, calling it a rare success story of interagency cooperation.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launching?
According to NPR, the telescope is slated to launch this weekend. Scientific American notes it sits in Florida, ready to launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket within weeks.
What is the primary mission of the telescope?
According to NASA and Scientific American, the observatory will investigate dark energy, discover exoplanets, and conduct infrared astrophysics research over a five-year mission.
Who built the core of the spacecraft?
According to Scientific American, the core of the observatory was originally built to spy on America’s adversaries in a post-9/11 world for the National Reconnaissance Office.
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