PI Precision Motion Tech Drives NASA Roman Telescope Steering Mirror

The Coronagraph Instrument utilizes three PICMA multilayer piezoelectric actuators arranged in a triangular configuration to control the fast steering mirror. Integrated strain-gauge sensors provide closed-loop feedback, achieving nanoradian-scale accuracy. This level of stability is essential for the telescope’s primary goal: suppressing blinding starlight to capture the dim signatures of orbiting exoplanets. The hardware relies on a proven reliability record; these actuators previously underwent testing for Mars surface operations, where they logged over 100 billion cycles without failure.

Launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy on August 30, 2026, the Roman Space Telescope is currently navigating toward the Sun–Earth L2 point. While the Coronagraph remains in its commissioning phase, the observatory is on track to begin wide-field surveys of dark matter and dark energy by early 2027. PI’s contribution extends beyond the flight hardware; the company provided cryogenic positioning stages, hexapods, and gantry systems throughout the last decade to support the assembly and testing of the telescope’s complex optical instruments.