# NASA's Roman Space Telescope Powers On Its Planet-Hunting Coronagraph

*2026-09-03 06:02 UTC · Science · 1 min read*

> NASA switched on the Roman Space Telescope's coronagraph on September 1, the most advanced planet-imaging instrument ever flown in space, just two days after its Falcon Heavy launch.

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope activated its Coronagraph Instrument on September 1, with power-on beginning at 7:27 a.m. EDT and completing less than an hour later. The milestone comes just two days after Roman launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center on August 30, and one day after its antenna and sunshade successfully unfolded en route to the Sun-Earth L2 point.

The coronagraph is built to block a star's light so astronomers can directly photograph the far fainter planets and dusty disks orbiting it. NASA calls it the most advanced direct-imaging technology ever flown in space, combining self-flexing mirrors, precision masks and highly sensitive sensors. Unlike earlier direct-imaging instruments, which mostly spotted hot, young super-Jupiters, Roman's coronagraph is designed to reveal older, colder planets in tighter orbits closer to their stars.

The instrument now enters months of calibration and testing before three dedicated months of science observations begin sometime within Roman's first 18 months in space. Roman will also hunt for exoplanets using microlensing and transit methods as part of its broader mission to study dark energy and the evolving universe.

## Sources

- [science.nasa.gov](https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/roman/2026/09/01/nasa-romans-planet-imager-has-powered-on/)
- [washingtontimes.com](https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/sep/1/nasas-roman-space-telescope-begins-million-mile-journey-dark-matter/)

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TechTools News · https://techtools.cz/tools/news/article/2304-nasa-s-roman-space-telescope-powers-on-its-planet-hunting-coronagraph
Česká verze: https://techtools.cz/tools/news/clanek/2377-vesmirny-dalekohled-roman-zapnul-koronograf-pro-hledani-planet