美国航天局计划于8月底从佛罗里达州肯尼迪航天中心发射南希·格蕾丝·罗曼空间望远镜，该项目除了用于研究暗物质和暗能量外，还将在行星防御中发挥重要作用[1]。这台望远镜配备300百万像素红外相机，其视场范围约为哈勃空间望远镜的100倍[1]。
一支多机构研究团队将在9月展示罗曼望远镜识别威胁地球小行星的能力，包括检测直径达60英尺的小行星及其轨迹、大小和成分[1]。借助其超广角红外相机和巨大视场的优势，该望远镜能够迅速扫描多个潜在危险的近地小行星，并与其他观测工具协同工作以保护地球免受撞击[1]。
根据数据，直径460英尺以上的近地天体全球约有25,000个，但仅有半数已被发现；165英尺长的近地小行星约230,000个，其中不足10%已被识别[1]。
NASA plans to launch the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope from Kennedy Space Center in late August, with the primary mission of studying dark matter and dark energy [1]. Beyond its core scientific objectives, the observatory will also serve as a tool for planetary defense by identifying asteroids that could threaten Earth [1].
A multi-institutional research team will demonstrate the Roman telescope's capabilities for asteroid detection in September, showcasing its ability to identify near-Earth objects as small as 60 feet in diameter and determine their trajectories, sizes, and compositions [1]. The telescope's wide-field infrared camera and expansive field of view—approximately 100 times larger than the Hubble Space Telescope—will enable rapid scanning of multiple potentially hazardous asteroids in conjunction with other observatories to protect Earth from impact threats [1]. According to Alise Fisher of NASA Headquarters, "Roman will sample such a large volume of the cosmos that we've long known it will offer vast opportunities for a range of additional science" [1].
The detection capability of Roman becomes particularly significant given the scale of the near-Earth object threat. Approximately 25,000 near-Earth asteroids larger than 460 feet are estimated to exist, though only about half have been discovered [1]. An even greater number of smaller objects—roughly 230,000 asteroids measuring around 165 feet—remain largely undetected, with fewer than 10 percent identified to date [1]. The Roman telescope's contribution to asteroid surveillance will complement other upcoming efforts, including the NEO Surveyor telescope scheduled for launch in 2027 and the Vera Rubin Observatory, which is expected to discover approximately 89,000 near-Earth asteroids [1].