ABB and Nüvü Camēras have supplied high-precision camera electronics for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which was launched on August 30, 2026. The technology will support the observatory’s efforts to study planets beyond the solar system and develop new methods for direct exoplanet imaging.
The camera readout system forms part of the Roman Coronagraph Instrument, which has been designed to test advanced technologies for observing exoplanets. The mission is also expected to contribute to the technology development needed for NASA’s future Habitable Worlds Observatory, a planned mission that would search for potentially habitable planets and signs of life.
NASA’s Roman Space Telescope is equipped with a field of view about 100 times larger than that of the Hubble Space Telescope. This will allow scientists to survey much larger areas of the sky during individual observations. The Roman Coronagraph is designed to provide between 100 and 1,000 times greater exoplanet imaging capability than current space-based coronagraphs. Since planets are much fainter than the stars they orbit, the instrument uses advanced optical systems to block or suppress starlight and capture the much weaker light reflected by planets.
ABB and Nüvü developed the camera readout electronics to detect extremely faint signals. ABB engineers have packaged the system into a compact unit roughly the size of a shoebox. The electronics use space-qualified components designed to operate in the demanding conditions of deep space, including radiation exposure and very low temperatures.
The telescope will operate at the Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point, approximately four times farther from Earth than the Moon. At this location, the Sun and Earth remain in similar directions from the spacecraft, helping the observatory shield its instruments from unwanted light. Because the telescope will be beyond the practical reach of servicing missions, reliability of its onboard systems is critical.
Marc Corriveau, General Manager of ABB’s Measurement & Analytics division in Canada, said the Roman mission demonstrates how advanced engineering can support major scientific goals. He said ABB was proud that its Quebec-based space technology would contribute to the NASA programme.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory awarded ABB the contract for the exoplanet camera readout system in 2020. The technology was developed with Nüvü Camēras and supported by Canadian Space Agency technology development programmes. Olivier Daigle, Chief Technology Officer at Nüvü Camēras, said the companies combined their expertise to develop imaging technology for one of NASA’s major exoplanet missions.
ABB has more than three decades of experience in space-related projects and has contributed optical technologies to missions involving the Canadian Space Agency, European Space Agency and Japanese Space Agency. Its technology has also been used in commercial satellite projects. The Roman mission will provide scientists with new tools to study distant planetary systems and is expected to advance understanding of how planets form, evolve and potentially support conditions suitable for life.
