NASA's upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, scheduled for launch by May 2027 and possibly as early as fall 2026, will undertake a comprehensive Galactic Plane Survey to observe around 20 billion stars, creating detailed 3D maps of interstellar dust and gas to improve our understanding of the Milky Way's structure.

Utilizing infrared observations, Roman will peer through cosmic dust that obscures visible light, enabling astronomers to better determine star positions and properties within the galaxy.

The mission involves collaboration among NASA centers, Caltech/IPAC, and industrial partners, highlighting a broad effort to advance galactic science.

Data collected from the survey will be made publicly accessible through NASA's Roman Research Nexus and the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes, supporting future research worldwide.

Roman's observations will help identify young star clusters and star-forming regions, linking the 3D structure of the interstellar medium with the distribution of new stars, thus shedding light on star formation conditions.

By analyzing how dust reddens and dims starlight, scientists can infer properties of dust grains, such as size and composition, which are crucial for understanding dust recycling and physical processes within the galaxy.

The mission aims to clarify the role of spiral arms and other galactic structures in star formation, testing theories about their influence and comparing the Milky Way to other spiral galaxies.

Additionally, the project will refine our understanding of the Milky Way's spiral pattern and investigate what triggers star formation within these structures, addressing key uncertainties in galactic evolution.