Science1 hOctober 21, 2026, 06:25

NASA's Roman telescope beats optical requirements by nearly 30%

NASA completed testing and alignment of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, launched August 30. Its Wide Field Instrument now delivers optical performance nearly 30% better than predicted, and the secondary mirror was moved by about one-sixteenth the diameter of a human hair.

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NASA's Roman telescope beats optical requirements by nearly 30%

Wide Field Instrument beats optical predictions by nearly 30%
Secondary mirror moved about 1/16 the width of a human hair
Image quality requirement is roughly 90 nm RMS
Coronagraph focus fixed; further tuning continues

#NASA#Roman

Roman Space Telescope's camera delivers images nearly 30% sharper than predicted

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NASA's Roman Space Telescope to combine wide field and high resolution for Milky Way surveys

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NASA's Roman Telescope Passes Pointing Tests and Sees First Light

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NASA's Roman telescope beats optical requirements by nearly 30%

Roman Space Telescope's camera delivers images nearly 30% sharper than predicted

NASA's Roman Space Telescope to combine wide field and high resolution for Milky Way surveys

NASA's Roman Telescope Passes Pointing Tests and Sees First Light

Roman Space Telescope Coronagraph Captures First Starlight in Orbit