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NASA’s Roman Space Telescope ‘Exoskeleton’ Completes Key Spin Test.

This structure, the Outer Barrel Assembly, will shield NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope from stray light that could disrupt its observations. Here, engineers are prepping it for testing.

 

HA key component of NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope recently underwent testing at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. The Outer Barrel Assembly, designed to maintain the telescope's temperature and shield it from stray light, was subjected to a two-part spin test in a large centrifuge. This setup features a massive steel arm, weighing 600,000 pounds, that rotates around a central bearing. 


During the test, the assembly spun at 18.4 rotations per minute, generating forces over seven times Earth’s gravity and reaching speeds of 80 miles per hour. Due to its size—17 feet tall and 13.5 feet wide—the assembly had to be tested in two sections: the main structure, likened to a house on stilts, and the "stilts" themselves, known as the elephant stand. This stand supports the telescope’s Wide Field and Coronagraph Instruments and was tested with added weights to mimic the full assembly's mass.


This photo provides an inside view of the Outer Barrel Assembly for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, featuring inner rings known as baffles that protect the primary mirror from stray light.


The team next tested the “house” of the Outer Barrel Assembly, which encases the telescope and will be equipped with heaters to stabilize the temperature of its mirrors. Constructed from two types of carbon fiber reinforced with plastic and titanium fittings, this assembly is designed to resist warping while being lightweight, minimizing launch weight. 


Inside, the structure features a honeycomb pattern between the inner and outer panels, enhancing strength while reducing weight. Built by Applied Composites in California, the assembly was delivered in sections and assembled in Goddard’s largest clean room. After undergoing centrifuge testing, it will be reassembled and integrated with the telescope's solar panels and Deployable Aperture Cover by year-end.


In 2025, the integrated components will undergo thermal vacuum testing to simulate space conditions, followed by shake tests to ensure durability during launch. By late next year, they will be combined with the rest of the observatory.


To explore an interactive version of the telescope, visit:  

https://roman.gsfc.nasa.gov/interactive


The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is managed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, with contributions from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Caltech/IPAC, the Space Telescope Science Institute, and a diverse science team. Key industrial partners include BAE Systems, L3Harris Technologies, and Teledyne Scientific & Imaging.

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