NASA's Roman Space Telescope Launches on Falcon Heavy

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope lifted off Aug. 30, 2026, on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy from Kennedy Space Center, beginning a three-month, million-mile journey to its final orbit, the agency reported on Sept. 3, 2026.

NASA reported on Sept. 3, 2026, that its Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launched at 7:26 a.m. EDT on Aug. 30, 2026, aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The agency said the telescope was then on a three-month, million-mile journey to its final orbit.

According to NASA, Roman combines a large field of view with sharp infrared vision to survey broad areas of the sky and study cosmic history in depth. The mission is intended to help astronomers investigate dark matter, dark energy and exoplanets, or worlds beyond our solar system.

NASA said Roman is the fourth primary mission it has launched on a Falcon Heavy. Earlier in 2026, the agency's Launch Services Program worked with SpaceX to move the launch date earlier to accommodate the telescope's early completion.