NASA’s Roman Space Telescope: Falcon Heavy Upper Stage Takes Over

The SpaceX Falcon Heavy carrying NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has completed a rapid series of ascent milestones. NASA’s Roman Space Telescope: Falcon Heavy Upper Stage Takes Over. NASA’s Roman Space Telescope: Falcon Heavy Upper Stage Takes Over A SpaceX Falcon Heavy side booster is seen as it lands at Landing Zone 2 following the launch of NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope from Launch Complex 39A, Sunday, Aug.

30, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The center core reached main engine cutoff, or MECO, and seconds later the first and second stages separated. The second stage’s Merlin Vacuum engine ignited for the first second-stage engine start, or SES-1, about four minutes after launch.

Shortly after that, the Falcon Heavy’s fairing separated into two halves and returned to Earth. The fairing protected Roman during the dense lower-atmosphere portion of flight and was no longer needed after the rocket reached thinner air. Mission controllers plan to acquire a signal from the observatory through NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite system.