NASA names new space telescope after pioneering astronomer
NASA’s next-generation space telescope (currently under development) is now called the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST). It will be renamed in honor of Nancy Grace Roman. She was NASA’s first chief astronomer and paved the way for space telescopes focused on the broader universe.
The newly named Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (or Roman Space Telescope, for short) is set to launch in the mid-2020s. It will investigate long-standing astronomical mysteries such as the force behind the universe’s expansion and search for distant planets beyond our solar system.
Considered the “mother” of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope (which launched 30 years ago), Roman tirelessly advocated for new tools that would allow scientists to study the broader universe from space. She left behind a tremendous legacy in the scientific community when she died in 2018.
“It is because of Nancy Grace Roman’s leadership and vision that NASA became a pioneer in astrophysics and launched Hubble, the world’s most powerful and productive space telescope,” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. “I can think of no better name for WFIRST, which will be the successor to NASA’s Hubble and Webb Telescopes.”
