NASA launched the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope from the Kennedy Space Center, sending the $4.3 billion observatory on a mission to study dark energy, dark matter, and exoplanets.
The Guardian reported that "A $4.3bn space telescope that Donald Trump tried to kill is set to lift off from Florida early on Sunday as Nasa embarks on the next stage of its quest to unlock the secrets of the universe."1 The Guardian also reported that the telescope "survived two rounds of proposed White House budget cuts, and will embark on a million-mile journey into deep space from a launchpad at the Kennedy Space Center at 7.26am ET, barring late technical issues or intervention from Florida's notoriously capricious summer weather."1
Al Jazeera English reported that the Trump administration "tried repeatedly during both his first and second terms to target the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope for termination or extreme budget reductions, but Congress intervened each time to protect and preserve its funding."2
Scientific American reported that the launch "marks a change of heart for the administration, which had repeatedly proposed deep cuts to NASA's science that included canceling Roman entirely,"3 adding that "In the end, the observatory was saved by congressional intervention."3
Following the launch, Trump congratulated NASA on the mission. The Hill reported that Trump wrote on Truth Social: "Congratulations to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, and the Great Patriots at NASA, on a successful launch."4
