NASA has confirmed that all ground stations for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope are ready to handle the mission’s data when science operations commence in early 2027. A global network, including NASA’s Near Space Network in New Mexico, ESA in Australia, and JAXA in Japan, will receive data at rates of up to 500 megabits per second.
Testing demonstrated the ability to process approximately 1.4 terabytes of daily data—more than any previous NASA astrophysics mission—from Roman’s position a million miles away. The tests included housekeeping data such as instrument performance metrics.
Recent tests at JAXA’s Misasa Deep Space Station confirmed its capacity to receive data transmissions despite challenging weather conditions, including a typhoon. The team then tested stations in New Mexico and ESA’s station in Australia, all achieving the required data rates.
The collaboration among NASA, ESA, and JAXA aims to ensure efficient data transmission with redundancy in ground stations to mitigate weather-related disruptions. Jeremy Perkins from NASA Goddard praised their performance, highlighting the international effort behind the mission.
