Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope trumps Trump cuts, is launch-ready ahead of schedule

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is ready for launch ahead of schedule despite repeated attempts by both Donald Trump's first and second administrations to cut funding.

The space agency is now targeting early September to send forth the telescope, a full eight months ahead of schedule. The instrument boasts a field of view more than 100 times wider than Hubble's and will ride a SpaceX Falcon Heavy into orbit.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said: "Roman's accelerated development is a true success story of what we can achieve when public investment, institutional expertise, and private enterprise come together to take on the near-impossible missions that change the world."

As well as being a "true success story," Roman's tale is also one of overcoming repeated attempts at defunding and termination. The ...