NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is set to launch on August 30 - Engadget

It’s launching earlier than planned if everything goes well. NASA is targeting an August 30, 2026 launch date for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, eight months earlier than originally planned and sooner than the September schedule it announced earlier this year. In late May, NASA Goddard engineers completed their final inspection of the infrared telescope's primary mirror, ensuring that no specks fell onto it during testing and making sure it remains in proper alignment after a "shake test." The 7.9-foot mirror will collect and focus light from cosmic objects, as the telescope observes the universe to look for answers about dark energy and to determine how common solar systems like ours are. The agency's engineers are now packing up the telescope so it can be shipped from the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida later this month. When it arrives at Kennedy, Roman will go through a thorough inspection to verify that nothing broke during its transportation. In the weeks leading to its target launch, it will undergo a series of tests rehearsals. It will of course be loaded with fuel and then encapsulated into a protective fair

Jun 6, 2026 → Jun 6, 2026