Maximizing lessons from the Roman coronagraph for future observatories
Science reports the Roman Coronagraph technology demonstrator is a pathfinder for a future coronagraph with full science capability, now embodied in the Habitable Worlds Observatory. This provides an extraordinary opportunity to learn lessons that will optimize HWO’s scientific goals, design, and operations.
Before launch, the original Formulation Science Working Group team, the coronagraph project team, and the Coronagraph Community Participation Program developed extensive models of expected performance, ranging from analytic contrast budgets to full-physics STOP and coronagraph models.
Similar models are being used in the design of HWO, and long-lead decisions that shape the future of the Great Observatory will be made on the basis of these tools. The proposal is to work with the project team to ensure Roman observations yield the most information to assess, validate, and refine those models.