NASA's Roman Space Telescope to Aid in Asteroid Detection
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, launching in August, aims to study dark matter and dark energy, but will also be used to scan asteroids for potential threats to Earth. A team of scientists will outline its asteroid detection capabilities in September. The telescope's infrared camera can survey a large patch of space, allowing for the discovery of thousands of new planets and galaxies.
Key points
- NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at the end of August.
- The telescope's super-wide-angle, 300-megapixel infrared camera can survey a large patch of space, roughly 100 times larger than the Hubble Space Telescope.
- A team of planetary scientists and astronomers will outline the telescope's asteroid detection capabilities in September.
- Roman was not built for planetary defense, but was threatened with funding cuts by the Trump administration last summer.
- The telescope is expected to discover thousands of new planets, tens of thousands of exploding stars, and survey over one billion galaxies.
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is set to launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at the end of August. The telescope's primary goal is to study dark matter and dark energy, but it will also be used to scan asteroids for potential threats to Earth.
A team of planetary scientists and astronomers will outline the telescope's asteroid detection capabilities in September. The telescope's super-wide-angle, 300-megapixel infrared camera can survey a large patch of space, roughly 100 times larger than the Hubble Space Telescope.
Roman was not built for planetary defense, but was threatened with funding cuts by the Trump administration last summer. In response, a team of scientists has been working to demonstrate the telescope's capabilities in this area.
The telescope is expected to discover thousands of new planets, tens of thousands of exploding stars, and survey over one billion galaxies. Its findings will provide valuable insights into the universe and help scientists better understand the cosmos.
Sources
The WireByte editorial team synthesises technology news from multiple primary sources, verifies the facts, and links every source. Articles are produced with AI assistance and reviewed under our editorial policy.