NASA’s Roman Space Telescope set to launch Sunday
The next-generation observatory is scheduled to launch from Kennedy Space Center no earlier than 7:26 a.m. EDT.
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is scheduled to launch on Aug. 30. It is designed to answer questions about exoplanets and dark energy, the force believed to be behind our universe’s expansion.
NASA is finalizing preparations for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launch on Sunday.
The next-generation observatory, designed to unlock the mysteries of the universe, including dark matter and exoplanets, is set to launch no earlier than 7:26 a.m. EDT on Aug. 30. A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket will launch the telescope from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the agency said in a statement.
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, encapsulated in its payload fairing, travels from the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility to the SpaceX hangar at Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, ahead of mating to a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. (Credit: NASA/Sydney Rohde (Rocz))
The launch will be livestreamed across NASA's social media and streaming platforms, with coverage beginning at 6:20 a.m. EDT.
Warm, partly cloudy conditions expected for launch
The launch weather looks favorable for Sunday's liftoff on Florida's Space Coast, but there are some concerns that may keep the rocket grounded.
Temperatures at the Kennedy Space Center during launch time will be around 78 degrees Fahrenheit, with a RealFeel® of 90 F, according to AccuWeather meteorologists. Winds are expected to be light, and the sky will be partly cloudy.
Cumulus clouds are also predicted to be around the launch pad on Sunday morning, which can pose a threat to rocket launches. There is a 40% chance that the clouds and/or the risk of lightning forces the launch to be postponed, according to the 45th Weather Squadron.
Roman enters final launch preparations
Roman arrived at the SpaceX hangar at Launch Complex 39A on Tuesday, NASA said in a recent update. The telescope was transported by a convoy of vehicles overnight on Monday from the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, where it had been preparing for launch since June.
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, encapsulated in its payload fairing, travels from the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility to the SpaceX hangar at Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, ahead of mating to a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. (Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett)
Ahead of liftoff, teams will attach Roman to the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket in the hangar. A Launch Readiness Review will then take place on Friday, Aug. 28, to conduct the final confirmation of the launch.
Teams enclosed Roman inside the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket’s 43-foot-tall fairing on Aug. 21, according to NASA. During launch, the fairing is designed to protect the telescope from aerodynamic pressure, vibrations and heat. It will separate a few minutes after liftoff, once conditions are safe, before returning to Earth for recovery by SpaceX.
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is encapsulated within the payload fairing at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, ahead of mating to a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket for launch. (Credit: NASA/Sydney Rohde (Rocz))
A Flight Readiness Review was also completed on Aug. 21, which confirmed that Roman is ready to begin final launch preparations.
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is a NASA observatory designed to settle essential questions in the areas of dark energy, exoplanets and infrared astrophysics. (Image credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio)
Once it arrives 1 million miles from Earth at Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 2 (L2), Roman will capture panoramic images with a field of view about 100 times larger than Hubble’s. Named after NASA’s first chief astronomer and “mother of the Hubble Space Telescope,” Dr. Nancy Grace Roman, it will remain in orbit for five years, with the potential for a five-year extension. Roman’s data will also be available immediately to the public, which is rare for most missions.
Click here to learn more about the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, including its goals, technology and legacy.
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