From June 14 to 16, NASA technicians installed a critical component for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope—the solar panels collectively known as the "solar array sunshield." This step marks the near completion of the observatory's assembly, laying the foundation for its planned launch.

The solar array sunshield consists of six panels covered with solar cells, with two central panels fixed to the observatory's outer barrel assembly and the remaining four designed to deploy once in space. These panels not only provide power to the observatory but also shield it from sunlight, helping maintain low temperatures for the instruments—crucial for infrared astronomical observations. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center solar array sunshield lead Jack Marshall stated: "The observatory is now about 90% complete; we just need to connect two large components, followed by a series of tests." He revealed that the launch plan is several months ahead of the original no-later-than-May-2027 date, with the team aiming for as early as fall 2026.

With the installation complete, the Roman Telescope's external structure is officially finished. Next, technicians will test the solar panel deployment mechanism and the observatory's "sunshield," as well as evaluate the performance of core electronics. Additionally, thermal vacuum testing will verify system stability in extreme space environments. The project is scheduled to complete the connection between the telescope's inner and outer sections in November, with the full observatory assembled by the end of the year, followed by pre-launch testing. Goddard mechanical engineer Aaron Vigil said: "The installation of the solar panels marks the completion of the external structure; the next step is comprehensive validation of system reliability."