Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Reaction Wheel and Thruster Animations

  • Released Thursday, April 25, 2024
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Animations of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, highlighting the two systems that move the spacecraft: thrusters and reaction wheels. These animations are all available as 4k 60fps ProRes files, as well as smaller formats.

Beauty pass of Roman, starting close to the primary mirror and pulling out to reveal the entire spacecraft.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/CI Lab

Face-on view of Roman with the primary mirror visible. ACS thrusters above solar panels fire and Roman is pushed out of frame.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/CI Lab

Roman fires ACS thrusters to unload reaction wheels, or allow them to slow down. Spacecraft doesn't move because reaction wheels counteract the rotational forces of the thrusters.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/CI Lab

Fly-in to the back of Roman which peels away to reveal a close view of the reaction wheels.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/CI Lab

Sunlight strikes Roman's solar panels and Sun shields, exerting a slight pressure that tips the spacecraft.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/CI Lab

Fly-in shot to the reaction wheels. This version has colored overlays and numbers that indicate wheel rotation speeds.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/CI Lab

Static view of Roman's six reaction wheels. The covers peel away to reveal the spinning wheels inside.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/CI Lab



Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. However, individual items should be credited as indicated above.

Release date

This page was originally published on Thursday, April 25, 2024.
This page was last updated on Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 10:23 AM EDT.


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