NASA's future space telescope 'Nancy Grace Roman' is approaching a significant breakthrough in the study of outer planets, after completing the integration of a coronagraph device, designed to reduce stellar interference when studying planets outside the solar system
The project team managed to integrate the coronagraph on top of the telescope's instrument carrying structure, which is designed to hold all the instruments integrated into the system. The Coronagraph, built at the JPL Laboratory in Southern California, will serve as an advanced technological testing facility, allowing scientists to locate potential planets for extraterrestrial life.
Accurate observation of extrasolar planets
The mission focuses on hiding the bright light of the host stars using advanced mirrors and filters, making it possible to directly record exoplanets. As a technological prototype, the coronagraph will test its capabilities in space and will serve as a basis for developing technologies for future missions, such as the "Applicable Worlds Observatory" telescope, which aims to search for signs of life on planets.
The integration of the coronagraph included the use of NASA's horizontal integration facility, which helped position the device precisely on the instrument carrying structure. The integration process was carried out using adapters and advanced tools used in missions such as the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope, and Application of insulation layers to ensure the operation of the device at the appropriate temperature in the cold space.
The importance of the coronagraph for the study of the stars
The coronagraph was developed in collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), the Japan Space Agency (JAXA), and other agencies, including the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Germany. In collaboration between many teams at JPL Laboratory and the Goddard Center, the test processes were developed and carried out, and since then its integration The successful integration event was noted as a joint celebration of success.
The 'Roman' space telescope, which is scheduled for launch by May 2027, will change the face of universe exploration through an observation field 100 times larger than that of the 'Hubble' space telescope. His scientific goals include the study of dark energy, outer planets, and progress in infrared astrophysics, all while making a significant contribution to the study of the outer worlds and the possibility of locating planets applicable to life.
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One response
Doesn't excite me.
With today's technology and even, I'm willing to bet, in a quarter of a century, we'll look through the most advanced telescopes yet to ascend to the sky at our Sun-like star 100 light-years away, we still haven't found an Earth-like planet.
As time passes I am more convinced that the intensity of the radiation emitted by a star and the distance at which the life belt is located are the critical variables for the development of life and this is the contrast to unstable life zones around red dwarfs.