NASA awards contract to SpaceX for Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope mission

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – NASA announced Tuesday it has awarded SpaceX a contract to provide launch service for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, named after Dr. Nancy Roman — an astronomer whose work with NASA paved the way for large telescopes.

According to the space agency, the telescope is part of a top-priority space program that will include investigations into outstanding questions about cosmology, such as the effects of dark matter and exoplanet exploration.

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NASA leaders said the launch will cost around $255 million.

The telescope’s mission is currently targeting October 2026 for liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center.