NASA’s next great space telescope is almost ready to leave Earth.
(Image credit: NASA/Sydney Rohde (Rocz))
Roman has spent the last several weeks undergoing its final launch preparations at KSC. Technicians loaded the observatory with 290 gallons (1,100 liters) of hydrazine fuel on July 25, then attached it to its payload adapter in early August.
Roman was recently encapsulated inside Falcon Heavy’s payload fairing, and underwent a full launch-day dress rehearsal on Aug. 20. NASA, SpaceX and Roman mission managers then completed the mission’s Flight Readiness Review on Aug. 21, formally clearing the observatory to begin its final launch preparations.
Next, the telescope, encapsulated in its payload fairings, will be transported to SpaceX’s hangar at LC-39A, where it will be attached to Falcon Heavy rocket before the it rolls out to the pad for launch later this week.
Josh Dinner
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Spaceflight Staff Writer