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What Is the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope? (Grades 5-8)
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is a new NASA astrophysics observatory scheduled to launch on August 30, 2026. It will use infrared light to study dark energy, dark matter, and exoplanets.
Why it matters
By searching for planets in habitable zones and studying the universe's expansion, this telescope helps scientists determine if Earth-like planets exist elsewhere and how the universe evolves.
The details
- It will launch from Kennedy Space Center aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
- The telescope orbits the second Sun-Earth Lagrange point, 930,000 miles from Earth.
- A Coronagraph Instrument enables astronomers to see planets far fainter than their stars.
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Key connections
NASA owns Wide Field Instrument
NASA developed the Wide Field Instrument science instrument for the Roman Space Telescope.
NASA owns Coronagraph Instrument
NASA developed the Coronagraph Instrument for the Roman Space Telescope.
Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope uses Falcon Heavy
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is built with Wide Field Instrument
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is equipped with the Wide Field Instrument.
Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is built with Coronagraph Instrument
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is equipped with the Coronagraph Instrument.
Wide Field Instrument is built with Infrared Astronomy
The Wide Field Instrument uses infrared astronomy technology to observe the early universe.
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