NASA Announces Broadcast Schedule for Roman Space Telescope Launch in Florida

Coverage Plans for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Launch

NASA is preparing for the prelaunch and launch activities of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which aims to address significant cosmic mysteries like dark energy.

Launch Schedule:

• Date & Time: Sunday, Aug. 30, at 7:26 a.m. EDT
• Rocket: SpaceX Falcon Heavy from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, Florida
• Launch Coverage Start: 6:20 a.m. EDT

Where to Watch:
Live streaming will be available on various platforms. Viewers can check NASA Live for coverage.

About the Roman Space Telescope

The Roman Space Telescope, named after NASA’s first chief astronomer Nancy Grace Roman, will feature an advanced infrared vision, covering a field of view over 100 times larger than Hubble. It will facilitate major scientific discoveries related to dark energy, exoplanets, galaxies, and more.

After launch, Roman will travel approximately one million miles to the second Sun-Earth Lagrange point (L2) and aims for a primary mission lifespan of five years, with aspirations for a ten-year operation.

Detailed Coverage Schedule

Saturday, Aug. 29

• 9:00 a.m.: Mission Science Briefing

  • Participants include:
    • Shawn Domagal-Goldman (NASA HQ)
    • Julie McEnery (NASA Goddard)
    • Vanessa Bailey (NASA JPL)
    • Kristen McQuinn (Space Telescope Science Institute)
    • Lee Armus (Caltech/IPAC)

• 10:30 a.m.: Prelaunch News Conference

  • Participants include:
    • Nicky Fox (NASA HQ)
    • Lucas Paganini (NASA HQ)
    • Jackie Townsend (NASA Goddard)
    • Denton Gibson (NASA Kennedy)
    • Julianna Scheiman (SpaceX)
    • Justin McReynolds (U.S. Space Force)

• 11:45 a.m.: Flyover by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman

• 12:00 p.m.: In-Person Interviews in NASA Kennedy Press News Center

  • Participants include various NASA officials and project scientists.

Sunday, Aug. 30

• 6:20 a.m.: Launch coverage begins
• 7:26 a.m.: Launch
• 9:30 a.m.: Postlaunch News Conference
  • Participants include:
    • Jared Isaacman
    • Nicky Fox
    • Jackie Townsend
    • Julie McEnery
    • Denton Gibson

Audio-Only Coverage: Available via NASA “V” circuits.

Additional Information:

• Launch audio will be accessible on specific radio frequencies within Brevard County.
• Live updates and on-demand video will be available on the NASA website post-launch.

Public Virtual Attendance:
Register through Eventbrite for access to curated resources and opportunities associated with the launch.

Follow and Engage on social media to share your excitement about the mission!

For more information, visit NASA’s Roman page.

Media Contacts:

• Alise Fisher: 202-385-1287, alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov
• Leejay Lockhart: 321-747-8310, leejay.lockhart@nasa.gov
• Claire Andreoli: 301-286-1940, claire.andreoli@nasa.gov

For any updates, stay tuned to NASA’s channels and social media.