NASA's Roman Space Telescope Achieves Milestone with Sunshade Integration, Eyes 2027 Launch

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (RST), slated for launch in 2027, has achieved a key milestone with the successful integration of its sunshade into the outer barrel assembly at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. This next-generation observatory, named after NASA's first chief astronomer, will feature a panoramic field of view 200 times greater than Hubble's infrared view, enabling wide-field maps of the Universe.The deployable sunshade, crucial for shielding the telescope from sunlight and maintaining stable temperatures, consists of two layers of reinforced thermal blankets, including Kevlar. The integration process involved joining the sunshield and outer barrel assembly in NASA Goddard's largest clean room. The outer barrel assembly also protects against micrometeoroid impacts and light contamination.Following this integration, the mission has passed Key Decision Point-D (KDP-D), transitioning from fabrication to the assembly phase. Upcoming tests include thermal vacuum and shake tests to simulate space conditions and launch vibrations. Technicians will also attach the telescope's solar panels.The Roman Space Telescope will survey billions of galaxies, investigate Dark Energy, and directly image exoplanets, black holes, and other celestial objects.