NASA\u2019s nearly complete Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has made another set of critical strides toward launch. This fall, the outer portion passed two tests \u2014 a shake test and an intense sound blast \u2014 to ensure its successful launch. The inner portion of the observatory underwent a major 65-day thermal vacuum test, showing that it will function properly in space. As NASA\u2019s next flagship space telescope, Roman will address essential questions in the areas of dark energy, planets outside our solar system, and astrophysics.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to make sure Roman will withstand our harshest environments,\u201d said Rebecca Espina, a deputy test director at NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. \u201cFrom a mechanical standpoint, our heaviest loads and stresses come from launch, so we use testing to mimic the launch environment.\u201d<\/p>\n
The vibration and acoustic testing were the final round of launch simulations for the outer portion of the Roman observatory, which consists of the outer barrel assembly, deployable aperture cover, and recently installed<\/a> flight solar panels.<\/p>\n During acoustic testing, a large chamber with gigantic horns emulated the launch\u2019s thunderous sounds, which cause high-frequency vibrations. Test operators outfitted the chamber and assembly with various sensors to monitor the hardware\u2019s response to the sound, which gradually ramped up to a full minute at 138 decibels \u2014 louder than a jet plane\u2019s takeoff at close range!<\/p>\n After moving to a massive shaker table, Roman\u2019s outer assembly went through testing to replicate the rocket launch\u2019s lower-frequency vibrations. Each individual test lasts only about a minute, sweeping from 5 to 50 hertz (the lowest note on a grand piano vibrates at 27.5 hertz), but NASA engineers tested three axes of movement over several weeks, breaking up the tests with on-the-spot data analysis.<\/p>\n Like in acoustic testing, the team installed sensors to capture the assembly\u2019s response to the shaking. Structural analysts and test operators use this information not only to evaluate success but also to improve models and subsequent assessments.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a real sense of accomplishment when you get a piece of hardware this large through this test program,\u201d said Shelly Conkey, lead structural analyst for this assembly at NASA Goddard. \u201cI am proud of the work that our team of people has done.\u201d<\/p>\n The core portion of the observatory (the telescope, instrument carrier, two instruments, and spacecraft bus<\/a>) moved into the Space Environment Simulator<\/a> test chamber at NASA Goddard in August. There, it was subjected to extreme temperatures to mimic the chill of space and heat from the Sun. A team of more than 200 people ran simulations continuously for more than two months straight, assessing the telescope\u2019s optics and the assembly\u2019s overall mission readiness.<\/p>\n \u201cThe thermal vacuum test marked the first time the telescope and instruments were used together,\u201d said Dominic Benford, Roman\u2019s program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington. \u201cThe next time we turn everything on will be when the observatory is in space!\u201d<\/p>\n The team expects to connect Roman\u2019s two major parts in November, resulting in a complete observatory by the end of the year. Following final tests, Roman will move to the launch site at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch preparations in summer 2026. Roman remains on schedule for launch by May 2027, with the team aiming for as early as fall 2026.<\/p>\n The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is managed at NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, with participation by NASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California; Caltech\/IPAC in Pasadena, California; the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore; and a science team comprising scientists from various research institutions. The primary industrial partners are BAE Systems Inc. in Boulder, Colorado; L3Harris Technologies in Rochester, New York; and Teledyne Scientific & Imaging in Thousand Oaks, California.<\/p>\n For more information about the Roman Space Telescope, visit:<\/p>\n https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/roman<\/a><\/p>\n By Laine Havens and Ashley Balzer Media contact:<\/p>\n
NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center<\/a>, Greenbelt, Md.<\/p>\n