{"id":13065,"date":"2025-02-12T12:10:43","date_gmt":"2025-02-12T16:10:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zobi.alcowep.com\/bourtagshdrevxnls658739\/nasa-successfully-joins-sunshade-to-roman-observatorys-exoskeleton\/"},"modified":"2025-02-12T12:10:43","modified_gmt":"2025-02-12T16:10:43","slug":"nasa-successfully-joins-sunshade-to-roman-observatorys-exoskeleton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zobi.alcowep.com\/bourtagshdrevxnls658739\/nasa-successfully-joins-sunshade-to-roman-observatorys-exoskeleton\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA Successfully Joins Sunshade to Roman Observatory\u2019s \u2018Exoskeleton\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

NASA Successfully Joins Sunshade to Roman Observatory\u2019s \u2018Exoskeleton\u2019<\/h2>\n

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NASA\u2019s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope team has successfully integrated the mission\u2019s deployable aperture cover \u2014 a visor-like sunshade that will help prevent unwanted light from entering the telescope \u2014 to the outer barrel assembly, another structure designed to shield the telescope from stray light in addition to keeping it at a stable temperature.<\/p>\n

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\"Roman's<\/a><\/figure>
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Technicians at NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., recently integrated the deployable aperture cover to the outer barrel assembly for the agency\u2019s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.<\/div>\n
NASA\/Chris Gunn<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been incredible to see these major components go from computer models to building and now integrating them,\u201d said Sheri Thorn, an aerospace engineer working on Roman\u2019s sunshade at NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. \u201cSince it\u2019s all coming together at Goddard, we get a front row seat to the process. We\u2019ve seen it mature, kind of like watching a child grow up, and it\u2019s a really gratifying experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sunshade<\/a> functions like a heavy-duty version of blackout curtains you might use to keep your room extra dark. It will make Roman more sensitive to faint light from across the universe, helping astronomers see dimmer and farther objects. Made of two layers of reinforced thermal blankets, the sunshade is designed to remain folded during launch and deploy after Roman is in space. Three booms will spring upward when triggered electronically, raising the sunshade like a page in a pop-up book.<\/p>\n

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\"A<\/a><\/figure>
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In this photo, technician Brenda Estavia is installing the innermost layer of the sunshade onto the deployable aperture cover structure of NASA\u2019s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. <\/div>\n
NASA\/Jolearra Tshiteya<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The sunshade blanket has an inner and outer layer separated by about an inch, much like a double-paned window. \u201cWe\u2019re prepared for micrometeoroid impacts that could occur in space, so the blanket is heavily fortified,\u201d said Brian Simpson, Roman\u2019s deployable aperture cover lead at NASA Goddard. \u201cOne layer is even reinforced with Kevlar, the same thing that lines bulletproof vests. By placing some space in between the layers we reduce the risk that light would leak in, because it\u2019s unlikely that the light would pass through both layers at the exact same points where the holes were.\u201d
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Over the course of a few hours, technicians meticulously joined the sunshade to the outer barrel assembly<\/a> \u2014 both Goddard-designed components \u2014\u00a0in the largest clean room at NASA Goddard. The outer barrel assembly will help keep the telescope at a stable temperature and, like the sunshade, help shield the telescope from stray light and micrometeoroid impacts. It\u2019s fitted with heaters to help ensure the telescope\u2019s mirrors won\u2019t experience wide temperature swings, which make materials expand and contract.
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\u201cRoman is made up of a lot of separate components that come together after years of design and fabrication,\u201d said Laurence Madison, a mechanical engineer at NASA Goddard. \u201cThe deployable aperture cover and outer barrel assembly were built at the same time, and up until the integration the two teams mainly used reference drawings to make sure everything would fit together as they should. So the successful integration was both a proud moment and a relief!\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Roman<\/a><\/figure>
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This photo shows the deployable aperture cover for NASA\u2019s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope as seen through the outer barrel assembly. Both components will help shield the telescope from stray light, improving Roman\u2019s sensitivity to faint light from across the universe.<\/div>\n
NASA\/Chris Gunn<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Both the sunshade and outer barrel assembly have been extensively tested individually, but now that they\u2019re connected engineers are assessing them again. Following the integration, the team tested the sunshade deployment.
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\u201cSince the sunshade was designed to deploy in space, the system isn\u2019t actually strong enough to deploy itself in Earth\u2019s gravity,\u201d said Matthew Neuman, a mechanical engineer working on Roman\u2019s sunshade at NASA Goddard. \u201cSo we used a gravity negation system to offset its weight and verified that everything works as expected.\u201d
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Next, the components will undergo thermal vacuum testing together to ensure they will function as planned in the temperature and pressure environment of space. Then they\u2019ll move to a shake test to assess their performance during the extreme vibrations they\u2019ll experience during launch.
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Technicians will join Roman\u2019s solar panels<\/a> to the outer barrel assembly and sunshade this spring, and then integrate them with the rest of the observatory by the end of the year.\u00a0
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The mission has now passed a milestone called Key Decision Point-D, marking the official transition from the fabrication stage that culminated in the delivery of major components to the phase involving assembly, integration, testing, and launch. The Roman observatory remains on track for completion by fall 2026 and launch no later than May 2027.
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To virtually tour an interactive version of the telescope, visit:
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https:\/\/roman.gsfc.nasa.gov\/interactive\/<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

By Ashley Balzer<\/em><\/strong>
NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, Greenbelt, Md.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Media contact:<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Claire Andreoli<\/em><\/strong>
NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
301-286-1940<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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