\u201cWe\u2019re harnessing the science community at large to lay a foundation, so when we get to launch we\u2019ll be able to do powerful science right out of the gate,\u201d said Julie McEnery, Roman\u2019s senior project scientist at NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of exciting work to do, and many different ways for scientists to get involved.\u201d<\/p>\n
![Thousands of tiny red dots speckle a black background like spilled salt. Additional yellow blobs that are slightly larger and appear more like galaxies, are overlaid on top and a few areas appear to bloom outward and slightly warp. Then even more galaxies, this time yellow and white, are overlaid over that, and the other areas \"bloom\" with even more exaggerated effects, the edges of the circular areas appearing to be smeared into arcs and streaks while the inside of the areas are magnified.](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/roman-lensing-5mb.gif\")
<\/figure>Simulations lie at the heart of the preparatory efforts. They enable scientists to test algorithms, estimate Roman\u2019s scientific return, and fine-tune observing strategies so that we\u2019ll learn as much as possible about the universe.<\/p>\n
Teams will be able to sprinkle different cosmic phenomena through a simulated dataset and then run machine learning algorithms to see how well they can automatically find the phenomena. Developing fast and efficient ways to identify underlying patterns will be vital given Roman\u2019s enormous data collection<\/a> rate. The mission is expected to amass 20,000 terabytes (20 petabytes) of observations containing trillions of individual measurements of stars and galaxies over the course of its five-year primary mission.<\/p>\n \u201cThe preparatory work is complex, partly because everything Roman will do is quite interconnected,\u201d McEnery said. \u201cEach observation is going to be used by multiple teams for very different science cases, so we\u2019re creating an environment that makes it as easy as possible for scientists to collaborate.\u201d<\/p>\n Some scientists will conduct precursor observations using other telescopes, including NASA\u2019s Hubble Space Telescope<\/a>, the Keck Observatory<\/a> in Hawaii, and Japan\u2019s PRIME (<\/a>Prime-focus Infrared Microlensing Experiment)<\/a> located in the South African Astronomical Observatory in Sutherland. These observations will help astronomers optimize Roman\u2019s observing plan by identifying the best individual targets and regions of space for Roman and better understand the data the mission is expected to deliver.<\/p>\n Some teams will explore how they might combine data from different observatories and use multiple telescopes in tandem. For example, using PRIME and Roman together would help astronomers learn more about objects found via warped space-time<\/a>. And Roman scientists will be able to lean on archived Hubble data to look back in time and see where cosmic objects were and how they were behaving, building a more complete history of the objects astronomers will use Roman to study. Roman will also identify interesting targets that observatories such as NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope<\/a> can zoom in on for more detailed studies.<\/p>\n It will take many teams working in parallel to plan for each Roman science case. \u201cScientists can take something Roman will explore, like wispy streams of stars that extend far beyond the apparent edges of many galaxies, and consider all of the things needed to study them really well,\u201d said Dominic Benford, Roman\u2019s program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. \u201cThat could include algorithms for dim objects, developing ways to measure star positions very precisely, understanding how detector effects could influence the observations and knowing how to correct for them, coming up with the most effective strategy to image stellar streams, and much more.\u201d<\/p>\n One group is developing processing and analysis software for Roman\u2019s Coronagraph Instrument<\/a>. This instrument will demonstrate several cutting-edge technologies that could help astronomers directly image planets beyond our solar system. This team will also simulate different objects and planetary systems the Coronagraph could unveil, from dusty disks surrounding stars<\/a> to old, cold worlds similar to Jupiter<\/a>.<\/p>\n The mission\u2019s science centers are gearing up to manage Roman\u2019s data pipeline and archive and establishing systems to plan and execute observations. As part of a separate, upcoming effort, they will convene a survey definition team that will take in all of the preparatory information scientists are generating now and all the interests from the broader astronomical community to determine Roman\u2019s optimal observation plans in detail.<\/p>\n \u201cThe team is looking forward to coordinating and funneling all the preliminary work,\u201d McEnery said. \u201cIt\u2019s a challenging but also exciting opportunity to set the stage for Roman and ensure each of its future observations will contribute to a wealth of scientific discoveries.\u201d<\/p>\n The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is managed at NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, with participation by NASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Caltech\/IPAC in Southern California, the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, and a science team comprising scientists from various research institutions. The primary industrial partners are Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation in Boulder, Colorado; L3Harris Technologies in Melbourne, Florida; and Teledyne Scientific & Imaging in Thousand Oaks, California.<\/p>\n By\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Ashley Balzer<\/em><\/strong><\/a> Media contact:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/dete.png\")
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NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, Greenbelt, Md.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
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