Residents of Greenbelt and the surrounding Maryland area can look to the sky this weekend as NASA prepares to launch the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. The telescope, named for NASA’s pioneering chief of astronomy Nancy Grace Roman, is scheduled for liftoff from the nearby Goddard Space Flight Center.

Local expertise drives a flagship mission

Matthew Bolcar, the mission’s Optical Systems Lead at Goddard, explained that the telescope’s primary goals are to study dark energy and dark matter—two fundamental but still mysterious components of the universe. He added that Roman will also search for exoplanets, ranging from small rocky worlds like Earth and Mars to massive gas giants such as Jupiter and Neptune, helping scientists gauge how common solar systems like ours are.

New technology to reveal hidden worlds

According to NASA’s press release, the Roman telescope is equipped with “star glasses,” a set of adaptive mirrors and filters that can dim the glare of nearby stars in real‑time, allowing the instrument to spot orbiting planets and debris disks. The mission will also employ a technique called cosmic time‑lapse, repeatedly photographing wide swaths of space to create high‑resolution movies of the universe in motion.

Why the launch matters for Maryland

Goddard’s involvement underscores the center’s long‑standing contribution to America’s space program. Bolcar likened the launch to historic milestones such as the Hubble and James Webb telescopes, saying it marks a moment when our understanding of the cosmos could fundamentally shift.

The launch will be a point of pride for the local community, showcasing the high‑tech talent and scientific leadership present in Maryland’s own space research hub.

Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.