After several years of preparation, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is about to launch.

Here’s a look at the steps, tests, and deployments that NASA’s mission planners hope happen in the hours, days, and weeks after launch.

Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s Carefully Orchestrated Series of Deployments

According to the mission site, once Roman has left Earth’s atmosphere, it will spend the next 90 days going through “a carefully orchestrated series of deployments, calibrations, and tests.”

Within the first hours of launch, NASA says the rocket boosters and main stage of the 18,000-pound (8,000-kilogram) dry-mass spacecraft, which is “about the mass of a Tyrannosaurus rex,” will separate. Soon thereafter, the rocket’s reusable side boosters will return to the area around the launch site and attempt to land.

In space, the rocket’s second stage will separate from the nose cone, which is jettisoned into space. This is followed by Roman separating from the launch vehicle.

To generate power and protect the spacecraft’s sensitive payload, Roman’s solar panels and sunshade will be deployed. According to NASA’s mission fact sheet, each of the space telescope’s six solar panels measures about 7 by 10 feet (2 by 3 meters) and is covered in a total of 3,902 solar cells.

When fully deployed, the panels will combine to provide up to 4 kilowatts of power. For comparison, the mission site says that it is “about the same rate that a modest rooftop solar panel system produces during the daytime.”

The Next 30 Days

Roman will spend the next 30 days speeding toward its final destination, a relatively stable location in the solar system called Lagrange 2, located roughly 930,000 to 1 million miles (1.5 to 1.6 million kilometers) from Earth.

During that journey, the craft’s antenna and deployable aperture will deploy. NASA says the carbon composite radio dish is 5.6 feet (1.7 meters) in diameter. For comparison, the space organization compared its height to an average refrigerator but noted it “weighs only 24 pounds (10.9 kilograms).”

“Its large size will help Roman send radio signals across a million miles of intervening space to Earth,” NASA explained.

One band of the dual-band antenna will receive commands from mission control and return information about the spacecraft’s location and overall health. The second band will communicate what NASA termed “a deluge of data at up to 500 megabits per second.”

About halfway through its voyage, Roman will make a course correction. During that same phase, the spacecraft’s Coronograph instrument will power up. The telescope’s other primary sensor, the Wide Field Instrument, will activate a few weeks later.

“With all components fully deployed, NASA said Roman is over 42 feet (12.7 meters long) and over 14 feet (4.4 meters) wide. The space agency said these dimensions make Roman “about the size of a tour bus.”

Finally, NASA said that throughout the rest of its 90-day commissioning period, both the antenna and Coronagraph “will run through a series of calibrations and tests.”

First Images Expected in 2027

Although the agency did not specify an exact date for the space telescope’s first light, the Roman team said it “anticipates releasing new images by early 2027.” For detailed updates, you can also follow NASA’s official Roman blog.

Christopher Plain is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novelist and has spent the last six years as Associate News Editor and Head Science Writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn about his books at plainfiction.com, or email him at christopher@thedebrief.org.

NASA engineering teams are preparing for the launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which will soon begin the first phase of its historic mission to help scientists unlock the mysteries of dark energy.

On Wednesday, the American space agency reported that the completed telescope, presently contained within its payload fairing, has been transported from NASA’s Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility to a SpaceX hangar located at the famous Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

If all goes according to plan, the telescope will be launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket at 7:26 a.m. EDT this Sunday, Aug. 30.

What Roman’s Science Tool Kit Includes

The telescope’s unique science instruments make Roman a different breed of space observatory from its predecessors, like the James Webb Space Telescope and Hubble Telescope, as they are designed with the special focus of advancing the search for dark energy.

Roman is equipped with two primary capabilities, which involve its Wide Field Instrument (WFI) and Coronagraph Instrument. With a 300-megapixel, near-infrared camera designed for large area image capture and spectroscopy, the WFI will enable astronomers to observe a 0.281 square degree field of view and includes a special imaging mode with two slitless spectroscopy modes.

“The instrument provides a sharp point spread function, precision photometry, and stable observations for implementing the Dark Energy, Exoplanet Microlensing, and NIR surveys,” according to a NASA FAQ page detailing Roman’s primary instrument.

Exoplanet Imagery and Spectroscopy

Meanwhile, the telescope’s Coronagraph Instrument also features both imaging and spectroscopy modes, with capabilities fine-tuned for imaging exoplanets.

“The Coronagraph will be the first instrument on a space telescope to make use of numerically optimized, precision-fabricated coronagraph masks,” NASA’s FAQ page reads. This will be achieved by employing a combination of deformable mirrors that will enable high-order wavefront control, a low-order wavefront sensing and control system, and finally, CCD detectors designed for electron multiplication and counting low-flux photons.

A Next-Generation Space Observatory Prepares for Launch

Along with its search for dark energy and exoplanets, Roman will also provide NASA and researchers around the world with an unprecedented opportunity to study the formation of galaxies and the way that dark matter governs their evolution over time.

NASA will begin live coverage of Roman’s launch on Sunday morning at 6:20 a.m. Eastern Time, and you can follow the updates online with NASA’s free streaming platforms.

Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. A longtime reporter on science, defense, and technology with a focus on space and astronomy, he can be reached at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow him on X @MicahHanks, and at micahhanks.com.

2,000 years ago, ancient Roman engineers were building structures that have withstood the test of time remarkably well, many of which remain standing today. At the heart of their success lies a mystery: what were the secrets of ancient Roman concrete that made these buildings so durable?

Now, MIT researchers are drawing from this curiously durable technology of the ancient world to help them develop modern building materials that can last longer, and potentially even reduce the carbon footprint of modern construction—all while managing to self-repair itself by healing small cracks.

Reverse-Engineering Roman Concrete

The mystery of Roman concrete became a fascination for MIT Associate Professor Admir Masic, who has spent many years now investigating the chemistry and other properties of this durable ancient technology. Based on his research, the material’s longevity isn’t just a product of the ingredients used by its ancient creators: the secret of Roman concrete also has to do with its manufacturing process.

This, according to Masic, seems to be at the heart of the material’s unusual ability to repair itself after cracks begin to form.

In 2023, Masic and his colleagues began looking at samples of lime that were very rich in calcium, which researchers call “lime clasts.” These clasts are ubiquitous throughout concrete found in ancient Roman constructions, although they were long discounted as being the byproducts of imperfections in the mixing process.

However, closer inspection revealed something remarkable about these lime clasts: as cracks form in the concrete, water can gradually enter the material, allowing calcium within the lime casts to dissolve and then recrystallize, effectively sealing the newly formed openings.

Applying Ancient Technology to Modern Engineering

Now, that discovery is propelling the development of modern concrete that incorporates calcium-rich lime clasts, thanks to a partnership between Masic and Italian entrepreneur Paolo Sabatini, who joined forces to develop a commercial version now being produced by Dmat, a company they co-founded in 2021.

Part of the strength of Dmat’s approach is the fact that they have developed additives that can be added to existing kinds of concrete and mortar, rather than requiring builders to acquire new and unfamiliar materials.

“We can now offer an extremely competitively priced, self-healing product that is easy to implement and available worldwide,” Masic recently told MIT News.

“What’s exciting to me is that this material could become the industry standard without requiring companies to change how they operate,” he added.

Increased Structural Lifespan and Environmentally Friendly

Beyond its ability to strengthen the durability of concrete, Dmat’s new technology can also reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 40 percent compared to those in traditional concrete. Presently, the new material is already being used in several infrastructure projects in parts of Europe, with eventual plans for expansion into the United States and other countries.

Widespread implementation and scalability like this is important, according to Masic and his colleagues, since large volumes of concrete are produced throughout the world, the production of which accounts for as much as 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions.

Extending the life of structures while simultaneously reducing the emissions associated with their construction would therefore hold significant environmental benefits.

Building the Future with Lessons from the Past

“At Dmat, we like to view concrete as an ecosystem,” Sabatini recently said in a statement. Successfully introducing a new material, he argues, requires considering not merely its chemistry, but cost, transportation, certification, and compatibility with established construction practices.

Notably, Dmat’s approach differs from other examples of modern experimental self-healing concretes, which generally rely on bacteria or polymers. Instead, by placing the focus on ancient techniques used by Roman engineers that long remained overlooked and misunderstood, Masic and his colleagues have developed an innovative new technology with roots that go back almost two millennia.

“There’s something profound about how ancient builders, without our modern chemistry, engineered self-healing material that still stands today,” Masic notes.

“My group research and work with Dmat is to make the modern built environment better by applying the best lessons from the past to today’s challenges,” he adds.

Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. A longtime reporter on science, defense, and technology with a focus on space and astronomy, he can be reached at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow him on X @MicahHanks, and at micahhanks.com.

More than 2,200 years Hannibal launched one of recorded history’s most daring military campaigns, leading roughly 46,000 soldiers and 37 war elephants across the towering Alps between modern-day France and Italy to invade the Roman Republic. Now, researchers believe they may have uncovered a surprising clue to one of antiquity’s greatest military mysteries.

For generations, historians have debated exactly which Alpine pass Hannibal used during his legendary crossing in 218 BC before descending into Italy and launching a campaign that brought Rome to the brink of defeat during the Second Punic War.

Any equally enduring mystery has been why the legendary Carthaginian general would burden his army with 37 war elephants, each weighing roughly three tons (about 6,600 pounds), while attempting one of the most difficult mountain crossings in military history?

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests those two mysteries may actually be connected.

Rather than relying entirely on ancient accounts, particularly those of the Greek historian Polybius, or on geology and topography, researchers analyzed the energy required for Hannibal’s soldiers, horses, and elephants to traverse four leading candidate routes through the Alps.

Their findings show that the notoriously difficult Col de la Traversette was actually the most energy-efficient crossing—and that the elephants, far from being a crippling liability, may have been better suited for the journey as opposed to either the soldiers or the horses accompanying them.

The discovery provides a new perspective on one of history’s greatest military feats, suggesting that the biological limits of both humans and animals may help explain not only where Hannibal crossed the Alps, but why he believed his extraordinary gamble could succeed.

“Our analysis of the energy landscape challenging the army suggests that the Col de la Traversette would have been the shortest and energetically most efficient route,” researchers write. “In which case, driven by the aim to minimize the energy costs of the crossing, he would have chosen the Traversette route.”

Hannibal’s campaign remains one of history’s most astonishing logistical achievements. After marching roughly 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) from Spain, his force reached the Alps with approximately 46,000 soldiers and 37 war elephants.

The crossing reportedly took just 15 days despite hostile tribes, steep mountain passes, early winter conditions, and severe supply challenges. Only about half of the army survived the journey, although enough elephants reached Italy to participate in the Battle of the Trebia shortly afterward.

Researchers examined four leading candidate routes through the Alps by estimating the total energy required for each member of Hannibal’s expedition, including the soldiers, horses, and elephants accompanying them.

Rather than asking which mountain pass best matches ancient historical accounts, the researchers examined four leading candidate routes through the Alps, calculating the energy required for every member of Hannibal’s expedition—including his soldiers, horses, and war elephants.

Using models that consider elevation changes and the metabolic costs of climbing and descending, they calculated the total energy expenditure for men, horses, and elephants across each candidate route. The results consistently favored the Col de la Traversette.

The researchers estimate the entire army would have expended approximately 5.42 terajoules of energy along that route. By comparison, taking the Col du Clapier—long considered by many historians to be the strongest candidate—would have required roughly 16% more energy.

Even the second-best alternative would have demanded 11% more. A chart in the paper compares the cumulative energy costs of each route, showing the Traversette path retaining the lowest overall expenditure despite its dramatic elevation profile.

Although Hannibal obviously lacked modern mathematical models, the researchers suggest he likely had an instinctive insight into terrain developed through years of campaigning.

“Although Hannibal would not have had such accurate estimates, he may have had a qualitative understanding of the ranking of the possible routes,” researchers note.  

Perhaps the study’s most fascinating insights concern the elephants themselves.

Modern elephants require enormous quantities of food simply to maintain their body weight. Wild African elephants typically spend around 14 hours each day feeding, while a three-ton adult may consume roughly 440 pounds (200 kilos) of forage daily. Those requirements become even more daunting in mountainous terrain, where every climb increases energy demands.

The researchers estimate that each elephant would have expended an additional 1.53 gigajoules of energy simply from traversing the Col de la Traversette beyond its normal metabolic requirements. Replacing that energy through feeding alone would have required roughly five to six extra hours of foraging every day during the crossing.

That simply was not realistic.

Instead, the team concludes that Hannibal’s elephants almost certainly survived by drawing heavily on stored body fat rather than replacing the calories they were burning. Even then, the elephants appear to have been surprisingly well-suited for the journey.

According to the analysis, each elephant would have lost only about 4% of its body fat reserves during the Traversee crossing. Horses, by contrast, were estimated to lose around 11%, while surviving soldiers may have lost approximately 19% of their stored fat. Even on less efficient routes, the additional burden fell disproportionately on the men and horses rather than the elephants.

That finding helps explain an apparent historical paradox.

For generations, historians have wondered why Hannibal would risk bringing massive elephants across one of Europe’s most formidable mountain ranges. This new study argues that, biologically, elephants may actually have handled the journey better than many of the humans accompanying them.

Modern biomechanical research has shown that elephants move like a four-wheel-drive vehicle, enabling them to navigate difficult terrain more effectively than many might expect. Their large fat reserves also provided an energy buffer unavailable to exhausted soldiers.

“We may assume that Hannibal knew, after having traveled with elephants and their handlers through Spain and Southern France, that his elephants would struggle less than his men to make the crossing,” researchers note.

Researchers argue that the greatest challenge facing Carthage’s war elephants came after they crossed the Alps, not during the journey itself.

Once in Italy, Hannibal found himself deep inside enemy territory with no secure supply lines, making it extraordinarily difficult to replenish the elephants’ depleted energy reserves. Historical evidence suggests his army was forced to raid the surrounding countryside extensively to feed both its soldiers and animals.

Although the elephants survived the Alpine crossing, researchers say the enormous logistical burden of keeping them fed may have ultimately sealed their fate.

“The fact that all but one elephant died in the following winter might be indicative of Hannibal’s decision to stop attending to the energy needs of such costly pieces of military equipment when already under severe energetic constraints,” the researchers write.

The researchers suggest the elephants’ greatest value may have reached beyond their battlefield role. Simply bringing dozens of war elephants across the Alps would have delivered a powerful psychological advantage, both by surprising Roman forces and by demonstrating the extraordinary reach of Hannibal’s army.

But that advantage may have been short-lived. Once the initial shock passed, the enormous cost of feeding and upkeep of the animals deep inside enemy territory may have exceeded their military usefulness.

Taken together, the evidence suggests that the same biological realities that influenced Hannibal’s choice of route may also have determined the fate of his most famous weapons.

“Perhaps he counted on the elephants to provide an important, tactical element of surprise in the first battles against the Romans,” the researchers write. “In addition, he may have expected that his war elephants would awe and help recruit to his side the Celts of Northern Italy, who were known to be hostile to Rome.”

“After these first encounters, the elephants might have lost their military value,” the team adds.  

The paper, “Energy costs of Hannibal’s alpine crossing,” by Emilio Bertia and Fritz Vollrath, appeared in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Tim McMillan is a retired law enforcement executive, investigative reporter and co-founder of The Debrief. His writing typically focuses on defense, national security, the Intelligence Community and topics related to psychology. You can follow Tim on Twitter: @LtTimMcMillan.  Tim can be reached by email: tim@thedebrief.org or through encrypted email: LtTimMcMillan@protonmail.com 

O telescópio espacial Nancy Grace Roman está prestes a partir para investigar os maiores mistérios do Universo profundo. Vai à procura do “invisível”, entre os mil milhões de galáxias que promete observar.

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