NASA is set to launch a new space telescope that can see 100 times further than the Hubble Space Telescope and could help scientists develop technologies to detect extraterrestrial worlds.
The agency said the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, a next-generation space observatory, will be launched around May 2027 and will allow astronomers to unravel scientific mysteries related to dark energy, exoplanets and infrared astrophysics.
NASA said the new space telescope is also seen as a key step toward future technologies that will allow astronomers to search for habitable planets, reports Noi.md reading.
Part of the mission is to test the Roman Coronagraph instrument, which could be crucial in helping future telescopes detect Earth-like planets.
It is noted that scientists are currently detecting planets orbiting distant suns by observing the characteristic dips in brightness as the planet passes between the star and the observer.
The Roman Coronagraph gives scientists a new tool in the search for extraterrestrial worlds, allowing them to block out starlight and see fainter planets directly.
