Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

The payload

NASA's wide-field infrared survey observatory for dark energy, exoplanet and infrared astrophysics research

Status history

1. 19 Aug 202630 August at 07:26 EDT re-confirmed on NASA's Roman launch countdown page; NASA's mission blog of 10 August reports integrated operations with the SpaceX hardware under way at Kennedy ahead of encapsulation.
2. 21 Aug 2026Holding: NASA's Roman launch countdown page still gives 30 August at 07:26 a.m. EDT on Falcon Heavy from LC-39A, eight months ahead of the original commitment.
3. 22 Aug 2026Holding: NASA's Roman launch countdown page still gives 30 August at 07:26 a.m. EDT on Falcon Heavy from LC-39A, and SpaceX's own launches feed lists the mission.
4. 29 Aug 2026Go for launch: NASA's Launch Readiness Review concluded on 28 August with a go, the rocket went vertical at LC-39A on 29 August, and the window holds at 07:26 EDT (11:26 UTC) on 30 August, with Space Launch Delta 45 forecasting a 60% chance of favourable weather. The outcome pass follows the flight.
5. 5 Sep 2026Launched: Falcon Heavy lifted off from LC-39A at 07:26 EDT (11:25 UTC) on 30 August, on schedule. NASA reports separation 31 minutes after launch, solar panels and sun shade deployed within 90 minutes, and the first mid-course correction burn on 31 August; the observatory is in its three-month cruise to L2, with first images expected in early 2027.

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