Exoplanet Exploration News

NASA’s Roman Space Telescope Enters Final Commissioning Phase

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope mission has now entered the science commissioning phase, having successfully completed a comprehensive checkout and refinement of the observatory and primary instrument performance. “We’ve established that the observatory is fully functional,” said Julie McEnery,…

TIME Best Inventions of 2026

NASA’s new Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope was among the year’s top innovations recognized Thursday on TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026 list.

NASA Roman Team Checks Out Main Instrument, Sharpens Telescope’s Focus

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope team completed a marathon of activities to fine-tune the observatory’s vision and prepare the primary instrument for routine use. “All of Roman’s sweeping surveys will rely on the Wide Field Instrument,” said Dave Hickey,…

NASA Checks Roman Guidance System, Takes First Coronagraph Observation

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s fine-guidance system, which allows the observatory to lock very steadily onto its targets during observations, passed a spate of tests from Sept. 15 to 21. Then on Sept. 22, the mission’s Coronagraph Instrument opened…

NASA Activates Roman’s Primary Instrument, Checks Out Coronagraph

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope team has successfully activated the Wide Field Instrument, a 300-megapixel infrared camera that will allow scientists to explore wide swaths of the cosmos very quickly without sacrificing exquisite detail. Roman’s planet imager — the…

NASA Roman’s Planet Imager Has Powered On

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope team has successfully activated the mission’s Coronagraph Instrument, which will block starlight to view planets and dusty disks around nearby stars. Now the instrument will undergo a monthslong series of calibrations and tests prior…

NASA Concludes Roman Space Telescope Launch Coverage

NASA is concluding live launch coverage after the agency's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope successfully launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket and separated from the second stage.

NASA’s Roman Space Telescope Flying on Its Own

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope separated from the SpaceX Falcon Heavy's second stage.