The Long Strange Trip of the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope – ISEC Lecture 10/25/2026 at 2PM

Most great observatories have similar stories of origin. Years of science requirements, design studies, and budget projections are necessary. In contrast, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s story begins 30 years ago with an ultra-secret spy agency, a government contract cancelled for poor performance, and the need to clear out storage space. From these events, NASA’s newest observatory was created. Complementing Hubble and the new Webb telescopes, the Roman telescope will explore the nature of Dark Matter in the Universe and will directly image planets light-years away.

About Frank O’Brien:
Frank O’Brien is a volunteer historian for NASA as part of their history, education and public outreach efforts. As an author, his book on the Apollo Guidance Computer has been well received by both the spaceflight and computing communities. In 2012, Frank became a Solar System Ambassador for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and lectures on a wide range of space topics. Frank has volunteered at the InfoAge Science and History Museums since 2003.

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