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<\/a><\/figure>Dr. Nancy Grace Roman, NASA\u2019s first Chief of Astronomy and namesake of the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope<\/a>, briefs astronaut Edwin \u201cBuzz\u201d Aldrin on celestial objects in 1965 in Washington, D.C. Nancy Grace Roman passed away on December 25, 2018, in Germantown, Maryland at the age of 93. May 16, 2025, would have been her 100th<\/sup> birthday.<\/p>\n Prior to joining NASA in 1959, Dr. Roman was a well-respected and influential astronomer, publishing some of the most cited papers in the mid-20th<\/sup>\u00a0century, one included in a list of 100 most influential papers in 100 years. At the agency, Roman worked to gain science support for space-based observatories. She established NASA\u2019s scientific ballooning and airborne science, oversaw the start of the Great Observatory program with the first decade of Hubble Space Telescope development, and invested early in charge-coupled devices technology development used on Hubble \u2013 and now in digital cameras everywhere.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n She was also key to the decision to link the development of the Large Space Telescope (that became Hubble) and the Space Transportation System \u2013 more commonly known as the Space Shuttle. Finally, after retiring from NASA, Dr. Roman often worked with young students in underserved communities, hoping her story and mentoring could inspire them to join humanity\u2019s quest for knowledge in a STEM field.<\/p>\n Learn more about Dr. Roman.<\/a><\/p>\n Text credit: NASA\/Jackie Townsend<\/em><\/p>\n Image credit: NASA<\/em><\/p>\n Powered by WPeMatico<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n Get The Details…<\/a> Dr. Nancy Grace Roman, NASA\u2019s first Chief of Astronomy and namesake of the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope, briefs astronaut Edwin \u201cBuzz\u201d Aldrin on celestial objects in 1965 in Washington, D.C. Nancy Grace Roman passed away on December 25, 2018, in Germantown, Maryland at the age of 93. May 16, 2025, would have been her 100th [\u2026] Continue reading
\nMonika Luabeya <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"