"NASA Launches Roman Space Telescope to Study Dark Matter and Exoplanets"
Dark Matter
invisible substance making up ~27% of the universe; holds galaxies together gravitationally but does not emit light.
Dark Energy
unknown repulsive force making up ~68% of the universe; drives the accelerating expansion of the cosmos.
Space-based observatories have transformed astronomy by placing instruments above Earth's atmosphere, which absorbs and distorts many wavelengths of light. The Hubble Space Telescope, operational since 1990, was the first major optical space observatory and fundamentally changed our understanding of the universe's age and expansion. It was followed by NASA's Great Observatories programme, which deployed four complementary telescopes across different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum: Hubble (optical/ultraviolet), the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, and the Spitzer Space Telescope (infrared). Each observatory opened a new window on the cosmos.
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), launched in 2021, represented the next leap. It operates primarily in the infrared spectrum and can peer at the earliest galaxies formed after the Big Bang. JWST operates from Lagrange Point 2 (L2), a gravitationally stable position roughly 1.5 million kilometres from Earth. The Roman Space Telescope now joins this lineage, occupying a scientific niche between Hubble's deep but narrow field and JWST's extraordinary sensitivity, by offering an exceptionally wide field of view.
Nancy Grace Roman herself was a pioneering figure. Born in 1925, she became NASA's first Chief of Astronomy and played a central role in building the case for space-based telescopes at a time when ground-based instruments dominated. She was deeply involved in the Great Observatories programme and is widely called the "mother of Hubble." She passed away in 2018, and the telescope named in her honour was launched in August 2026 aboard a SpaceX rocket.
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is designed to address three of the most profound open questions in modern astrophysics: the nature of dark energy, the distribution of dark matter, and the prevalence of exoplanets. Scientists estimate that ordinary matter, everything we can see and touch, constitutes only about 5% of the universe. Dark matter accounts for approximately 27% and is thought to act as an invisible gravitational scaffold holding galaxies together. Dark energy, estimated at around 68% of the universe, is a repulsive force believed to be driving the accelerating expansion of the cosmos since the Big Bang.
The telescope carries two primary science instruments. The Wide Field Instrument is a 300-megapixel infrared camera capable of imaging a patch of sky roughly 1.5 times the apparent size of a full Moon. It can process images approximately 1,000 times faster than Hubble. This wide-field capability is critical: mapping dark matter requires surveying enormous volumes of space to detect subtle statistical patterns in how galaxies are distributed. …
What are the unique features of the James Webb Space Telescope that make it superior to its predecessor space telescopes? What are the key goals of this mission? What potential benefits does it hold for the human race?
The terms 'Event Horizon', 'Singularity', 'String Theory' and 'Standard Model' are sometimes seen in the news in the context of
Which of the following pairs is/are correctly matched?
Spacecraft : Purpose
1.Cassini-Huygens : Orbiting the Venus and transmitting data to the Earth
2.Messenger : Mapping and investigating the Mercury
3.Voyager 1 and 2 : Exploring the outer solar system
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
With reference to 'Astrosat', the astronomical observatory launched by India, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1.Other than USA and Russia, India is the only country to have launched a similar observatory into space.
2.Astrosat is a 2000 kg satellite placed in an orbit at 1650 km above the surface of the Earth.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Match the following space telescopes with their primary scientific focus:
List I (Telescope) — List II (Primary Focus)
A.Hubble Space Telescope — 1. Infrared wide-field survey; dark matter and exoplanet mapping
B.James Webb Space Telescope — 2. Optical/ultraviolet imaging; galaxy distances and universe expansion
C.Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope — 3. Infrared; earliest galaxies and exoplanet atmospheres
D.Chandra X-ray Observatory — 4. X-ray imaging of black holes, supernovae, and galaxy clusters
Select the correct match:
Consider the following statements regarding the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope:
1.It operates from Lagrange Point 2, approximately 1.2 million kilometres from Earth.
2.Its Wide Field Instrument is a 300-megapixel infrared camera that can process images 1,000 times faster than the Hubble Space Telescope.
3.It is the first space telescope to be placed at Lagrange Point 2.
4.Its primary mission includes mapping dark matter distribution using gravitational lensing.
How many of the above statements are correct?
With reference to dark matter and dark energy, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1.Dark matter is estimated to constitute approximately 27% of the universe and is believed to hold galaxies together gravitationally.
2.Dark energy, estimated at around 68% of the universe, is a repulsive force driving the accelerating expansion of the cosmos.
3.Ordinary matter — all visible and detectable matter — makes up approximately 25% of the universe.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Which of the following correctly describes 'gravitational lensing' and its application in the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope's mission?
Consider the following statements about the Roman Space Telescope's instruments:
1.The Wide Field Instrument can capture a patch of sky approximately 1.5 times bigger than the apparent size of a full Moon.
2.The Coronagraph is used to block the bright light of stars in order to study planets and dusty disks in their vicinity.
3.The telescope will transmit approximately 14 terabytes of data per day to ground stations.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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