NASA Roman telescope launches aboard SpaceX Falcon Heavy

(SpaceEnergy) NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has begun its journey to deep space after launching aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy and separating successfully from the rocket’s second stage.

NASA said on 30 August that Roman lifted off at 7:26 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Falcon Heavy’s 27 Merlin engines generated more than 5 million lb of thrust during liftoff.

The rocket’s two reusable side boosters separated about two-and-a-half minutes after launch and began their return towards Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Falcon Heavy’s centre core continued powering the second stage and spacecraft.

Roman separated from the second stage at 7:58 a.m. EDT after completion of the final upper-stage burn. NASA said the spacecraft had established communications through a Tracking and Data Relay Satellite before separation.

The observatory is travelling towards an orbit around the second Sun-Earth Lagrange point (L2), approximately 1.6 million km from Earth. Its six solar-array panels can provide about 4kW of electrical power, while onboard hydrazine propulsion will support its transfer, station-keeping and attitude-control requirements.