NASA Roman Telescope Deploys 5.6-Foot Antenna and Sunshade Ahead of 2027 Images
Updated
Updated · Science@NASA · Sep 1
NASA Roman Telescope Deploys 5.6-Foot Antenna and Sunshade Ahead of 2027 Images
3 articles · Updated · Science@NASA · Sep 1
Summary
Roman completed two key deployments after launch: its high-gain antenna locked into place in about 4 minutes on Aug. 31, and its visor-like aperture cover finished deploying in about 8 minutes early Sept. 1.
The 5.6-foot, 24-pound dual-band antenna is designed to send the highest data volume of any NASA astrophysics mission, transmitting at up to 500 megabits per second from roughly 1 million miles away.
Ground stations in New Mexico, Australia and Japan will share communications coverage, while the sunshade blocks unwanted light from entering the telescope.
Roman’s next milestones are activating the Coronagraph Instrument and, within weeks, powering on the Wide Field Instrument for tests and calibrations during a three-month commissioning period.
NASA expects the observatory’s first images in early 2027, marking the next public benchmark for the mission.