66 Comments
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GaGigi's avatar

Great story! Made me proud and angry in equal measure.

Pam Birkenfeld's avatar

I agree, the fact that they had to race to make it happen before their funding got cut is just more evidence of the anti-science efforts, among other things, of this administration.

Linda Lee Williams's avatar

Rather than expanding their sense of the "miraculous," many conservative Christian Republicans are scared that scientific findings will undermine their beliefs. Dogma is their gospel, to be interpreted as they decide, and dictated accordingly.

Cindy Fogleman's avatar

Wow! Such a great story, and worthy of the woman for which the telescope is named. Thank you for sharing some good news which we all desperately need these days.

Ann T's avatar

Thank you for helping to start the week on the best possible note.

Wonderful to hear about great people still working hard and getting it done- in spite of everything. We all reap the benefits. Have a super week y'all

Jolie Elder's avatar

Some of the people who operate Hubble and Webb were at Dragon Con three weeks ago, talking about the mysteries of the universe and the discoveries we (Americans, humans) are pioneering. They will be operating Roman. I can hardly wait for first light and next year’s Dragon Con space telescope panel!

Special thank you to whoever at the National Reconnaissance Agency realized they had something useful in the storage unit and contacted NASA. This is the kind of cross-agency cooperation we expect from good government. We owe you a giant fruit basket and your body weight in chocolate!

For all the crafters/twitchy neurodivergents out there, I’ve been doing a little bit of research on Nancy Grace Roman. I encourage you to read her biography on NASA’s website

. Some of her private papers have been publicly released and the rest will be released in October. She would knit in meetings, then ask insightful questions. She knit hats for charity. She was an accomplished sewist and could make her own clothes. And she was a talented astronomer and deft administrator.

Skepticat's avatar

This twitchy neurodivergent appreciates your reference to her biography.

Jude's avatar

Fascinating. Thank you for all this info.

Cindy Mcdonald's avatar

Thanks for your comment with this additional information.

Joyce Day's avatar

Turning swords into plowshares is always a great story. Thanks for sharing it with us.

It's Come To This's avatar

Wonderful tribute today, Adam. A reminder of the difference between the cosmic and the inconsequential, the piss-ant trivial and the eternal.

May we live through this day and re-set our sights on something far nobler than rounding up mamacitas and taco stand owners just so we can terrify their 7-year-old children to death.

Ian Mark Sirota's avatar

Glad that they got this telescope into space despite this science-hating Administration’s best efforts…..

Perry Martin's avatar

Wow! Good news is right. Almost made this 73 year old man cry. Thanks so much Adam!

Adam Kinzinger's avatar

Amen! As you might have heard, i can cry too!

Skepticat's avatar

It made this 80-year-old woman cheer—and tear up a bit.

Aline Balbas's avatar

Fascinating article. Truly a feel good read!

Karen Landry's avatar

Any time science beats out that blubber in the WH, is great news to me. Especially since I'm a major fan or sci-fi.

Robert Lovell's avatar

That's a great story. Thanks for that.

Rita Bramhall's avatar

Adam- This was so wonderful a story.....a success story all the way around....Ty so much for bringing it to us....I'll look forward to more from this telescope.....Isn't science grand?

Jude's avatar

"Every scrap of that data, 1.4 terabytes a day, the fastest stream any NASA astrophysics mission has ever produced, goes public immediately. Free, to any astronomer or curious kid with a laptop." Wow! This curious kid will be 83 when the first data come in, and I can hardly wait! And I pray that we'll have a Dem-controlled Congress at that time, too -- another miracle to celebrate.

JOELLEN's avatar

What a fantastic story! I know American Exceptionalism has been called into question, especially due to the wrecking ball of the current president, but this is a great, great example of it. Thank you Nancy Grace! Not to demean the men, but it’s particularly satisfying that a woman pulled this off. We need to make a huge deal about this accomplishment!

Sandra Humble Johnson's avatar

Thank you, God, NASA, and Adam. What a story. Intelligence snatching in plain sight this delight away from the slogs in Congress and its sloth leader.