A telescope with a field of view 100 times larger than Hubble

Space · Published 21 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is designed to survey the cosmos at a scale previously unimaginable. By scanning the sky 1,000 times faster than its predecessor, it aims to map billions of objects to solve the greatest mysteries of our universe, from the birth of stars to the nature of dark energy.

Set to depart on 30 August 2026, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope signifies a huge advancement in viewing power. While it maintains infrared resolution and sensitivity similar to the Hubble Space Telescope, its primary advantage is its unprecedented wide field of view. By scanning the heavens 1,000 times quicker than Hubble, it permits researchers to examine billions of celestial bodies to study the evolution of galaxies, stars, and planets.

One of the mission's core objectives is investigating the accelerating expansion of the universe. Currently, dark energy—an unexplained pressure making up about 68 percent of the cosmos—is a leading explanation for this speed-up. However, the telescope will also test a competing theory: that this acceleration indicates a breakdown of Einstein’s general theory of relativity across large spans of space. To do this, Roman will use its 2.4-meter mirror and Wide Field Instrument to map matter distribution and measure expansion history.

The telescope will employ several strategies to gather this data. It will survey exploding stars known as supernovae and galaxy clusters, while also mapping galaxies in three dimensions. By measuring the brightness and distances of supernovae, Roman will extend our understanding of how dark energy's influence has changed over time. Additionally, it will pinpoint the distances to millions of galaxies by measuring redshift—the phenomenon where light becomes redder as it travels across greater distances—reaching back to when the universe was only about 4 percent of its current age.

In honour of Nancy Grace Roman, NASA's initial chief astronomer and a trailblazer who assisted in creating the Hubble Space Telescope, the mission bears her name. Beyond dark energy, the mission is tasked with discovering thousands of new worlds outside our solar system and investigating the physics of distant stars.

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