NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is now one major step closer to liftoff. On Aug. 21, teams enclosed the observatory inside the protective fairing of its SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket at the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The fairing is the large shell that surrounds a spacecraft at the top of a rocket. Standing 43 feet tall, it protects Roman while the observatory is on the ground and during the most violent early stages of launch. Together with specialized ground support equipment, the fairing also keeps the telescope in a controlled environment as teams move it between facilities.
A Protective Shell for the Ride to Space
Launch exposes spacecraft to extreme conditions. As Falcon Heavy accelerates through Earth's atmosphere, Roman will experience powerful sound waves, aerodynamic pressure, and significant heating. The fairing is designed to shield the observatory from those stresses.
Once the rocket climbs high enough that the surrounding atmosphere is no longer a threat, the fairing will no longer be needed. A few minutes after liftoff, its two halves will separate and fall away, allowing Roman to continue its journey into space. SpaceX plans to recover both fairing sections after they return to Earth.
