A massive SpaceX rocket is just days away from launching NASA’s next big observatory into space: the Roman Space Telescope. But if you’re hoping to watch it live online, you’ll have to get up pretty early on Sunday (August 30) or you’ll miss it. NASA’s Roman Space Telescope, named after the late NASA astronomer Nancy Grace Roman, will launch no sooner than Sunday on a mission to map the galaxy like never before. Liftoff is scheduled for 7:26 a.m. EDT (1126 GMT) from a NASA pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. You can follow the mission in real time with live updates from our Roman Space Telescope. “Roman’s deep and broad studies will help investigate dark energy and dark matter, discover and characterize planets beyond our solar system, map billions of galaxies, study black holes, and share enormous amounts of data with both scientists and the public,” NASA said in an update on Friday (Aug. 28), after authorizing Roman’s launch. rocket, as well as how to watch it online.What time is the launch of SpaceX’s Roman Space Telescope? NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman space telescope is encapsulated in the payload fairing of its SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. (Image credit: SpaceX) SpaceX is currently targeting the launch of NASA’s Roman Space Telescope no earlier than 7:26 a.m. EDT (1126 GMT) on Sunday, August 30. The company will launch Roman into space atop a Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A live stream of the launch will begin approximately one hour before liftoff. While SpaceX hopes to launch Roman on time, the company can try again on Monday, August 31, if necessary. A launch that day would take off a few minutes earlier, at 7:22 a.m. EDT (1122 GMT), SpaceX said. Can I watch the launch of SpaceX’s Roman Space Telescope? LIVE: Roman Space Telescope Launch Aboard SpaceX Falcon Heavy – YouTube Watch On Yes, of course, you will be able to watch the launch of SpaceX’s Roman Space Telescope and you have a few options on where to tune in. NASA will provide a webcast of the launch early Sunday morning. That livestream begins August 30 at 6:20 a.m. EDT (1020 GMT) and will run through the launch and a post-launch briefing. That livestream can be found on NASA’s website here, as well as all of NASA’s social channels (Facebook, Instagram, X) and streaming channels like Twitch, Discovery+, Amazon Prime, NASA+, and of course, YouTube. Our Space.com livestream can be found on our YouTube channel VideoFromSpace and will feature the live simulcast from NASA. What to read next SpaceX will also host its own livestream of the launch through its X account, starting about an hour before liftoff. As mentioned above, SpaceX aims to launch Roman for NASA at 7:26 a.m. EDT (1126 GMT), and the flight will last approximately 31 minutes and 31 seconds, the time after liftoff in which Roman is expected to be deployed in space. A post-launch press conference is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. EDT (1330 GMT) and will include comments from the experts listed below. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman Nicky Fox Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters Jackie Townsend, Roman Telescope Project Manager, NASA Goddard Julie McEnery, Roman Telescope Senior Project Scientist, NASA GoddardDenton Gibson, Launch Director, NASA Launch Services Program, NASA Kennedy How long is the launch of SpaceX’s Roman Space Telescope? A diagram showing the launch profile of SpaceX’s Roman Space Telescope on a Falcon Heavy rocket. The flight should take about 31.5 minutes. (Image credit: SpaceX) SpaceX’s Roman Space Telescope launch for NASA will last just over 31 minutes (31 minutes and 31 seconds, to be exact), to send Roman on his way into deep space. After liftoff, the Falcon Heavy rocket’s center booster and twin side boosters will fire for just under 2.5 minutes, after which the side boosters will separate and return to Earth. If all goes well, they should land about 7 minutes and 23 seconds after takeoff. “This is the first and third flight of the two first stage side boosters supporting this mission, which previously launched the GOES-U and Viasat-3 F3 missions,” SpaceX wrote in a mission overview. “Following stage separation, the Falcon Heavy’s two side boosters will land on SpaceX landing zones 2 and 40 (LZ-2 and LZ-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.” SpaceX does not appear to be planning an offshore first-stage landing for this flight. The three first-stage boosters of the Falcon Heavy rocket that will launch NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman space telescope on August 30, 2026. SpaceX shared this photo via X on August 26. (Image credit: SpaceX) Here’s a look at SpaceX’s launch and flight timeline. Slide to scroll horizontally SpaceX Roman Space Telescope Launch Timeline TIME (Hr:Min:Sec) EVENT T-0:53:00 Flight director surveys for fueling T-0:50:00 First stage RP-1 (rocket kerosene) loading begins T-0:45:00 First stage liquid oxygen loading begins T-0:35:00 Begins second stage RP-1 fuel loading T-0:18:30 Second stage liquid oxygen loading begins T-0:07:00 Falcon Heavy engine cooling begins T-00:00:59 Flight computer ordered to begin final pre-launch checks T-00:00:45 Launch Director GO for launch survey T-00:0:20 Propellant tanks pressurized for flight T-00:00:06 Engine controller commands start of engine firing sequence T-00:00:00 Liftoff Slide to scroll horizontally SpaceX Roman Space Telescope Post-Launch Timeline TIME (Hr:Min:Sec) FLIGHT EVENT T+00:00:00 Liftoff! T+00:01:08 “Max Q” T+00:02:24 Side thruster motors shut down T+00:02:27 Side thrusters separate T+00:02:32 Side thrusters flip over T+00:02:43 Side thruster booster combustion begins T+00:03:48 Side thruster combustion ends T+00:03:51 1st stage main engine cut-off T+00:03:54 Separation of the first stage from the upper stage T+00:04:00 Ignition of the second stage engine T+00:04:15 Separation of the payload fairing T+00:06:19 Input ignition of the side thrusters begins T+00:06:29 Input ignition of the side thrusters ends T+00:07:23 Landing ignition of side thrusters begins T+00:07:40 TOUCHDOWN! Side thrusters land T+00:08:28 2nd stage engine shutdown (SECO-1) T+00:24:33 2nd stage engine restart (SES-2) T+00:26:33 2nd stage engine shutdown (SECO-2) T+00:31:31 Roman Space Telescope is deployed The upper stage The Falcon Heavy will continue to fire its engine during the 8 minute, 28 second mark, when it will shut down for a 16 minute cruise period. Just over 24 minutes into the flight, the second stage will re-ignite its single Merlin engine for about three minutes before shutting down permanently. The Roman Space Telescope will deploy from its aircraft carrier at 31:31. It is expected to deploy its solar panels and sunshade shortly after liftoff, then spend the next few days deploying its antenna and aperture cover, while also making a midcourse correction on its way to its final destination: a stable point in space called Lagrange Point 2, about 1.5 million kilometers (1 million miles) from Earth, facing the sun. “The Roman team will complete a carefully orchestrated series of deployments, calibrations and tests in the three months after launch before the observatory reaches its final orbit,” NASA has said of the steps that will follow. What if the Roman Space Telescope can’t launch? If SpaceX can’t launch the Roman Space Telescope on August 30, the company and NASA have at least one day of backup to try again. A second launch window is available on Monday, August 31 at 7:22 am EDT (1122 GMT), according to SpaceX. Both SpaceX and NASA are closely watching the weather to determine if Roman can fly on August 30. “Forecasters with the U.S. Space Force’s Space Launch Weather Squadron Delta 45 predict a 60% chance of favorable weather conditions for launch, which is scheduled for 7:26 a.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 30, from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy,” NASA wrote in an update on Friday (Aug. 28). be able to follow the mission live on Space.com. Be sure to return to Space.com on launch day for complete coverage of the Roman Space Telescope launch.
