Nancy Grace Roman (1925 - 2018)

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Biography

Nancy Roman is Notable.

The Mother of the Hubble telescope

Nancy Grace Roman (May 16, 1925 – December 25, 2018), daughter of Irwin Roman and Georgia Smith, was an American Astronomer who was the first woman to hold a senior leadership position at NASA. She was the Mother of the Hubble telescope, famous for its stunning images she had loved so much as a child. Launched in 1990, it has been described as one of the most important scientific instruments ever created.

She was discouraged from an early career in the sciences because as a girl she was not supposed to take math and science classes. Despite the obstacles, she obtained a doctorate in Astronomy from the University of Chicago in 1949. From her position in the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, she was recruited to be the first Chief Astronomer at NASA in 1959. She remained in that role for the next two decades. After retiring, she continued working as a consultant at the Goddard Space Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

In 2017, LEGO released a figuring set honoring Women of NASA. Her likeness was included alongside Mae Jemison, Sally Ride, and Margaret Hamilton. She was inducted into the Maryand Women's Hall of Fame posthumously in 2020 ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ Maryland Commission for Women, 2020. https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/educ/exhibits/womenshallfame/html/roman.html

• Emily Langer, Washington Post. Nancy Grace Roman, astronomer celebrated as ‘mother’ of Hubble, dies at 93 December 28, 2018.
• Nancy Roman (1925-2018); Astronomer / "Mother of Hubble; Planetary Science Communications team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/people/225/nancy-roman-1925-2018/
• Voice of America (VOA), "Mother of Hubble Always Aimed for Stars" August 14, 2011 https://www.voanews.com/a/mother-of-hubble-always-aimed-for-stars--127751383/163252.html
• "Following My Lucky Star" by Nancy Grace Roman, in SCIENCE. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.354.6317.1346 Vol 354, Issue 6317, p. 1346, 9 Dec 2016

See also:

• Wikipedia: Nancy Roman
• Wikidata: Item Q3335602, en:Wikipedia
• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X46H-9RN : accessed 29 December 2018), Nancy Grace Roman in household of Irwin Roman, West Orange, Essex, New Jersey, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 642, sheet 5A, line 40, family 111, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1344; FHL microfilm 2,341,079.
• "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K7FM-GV3 : 15 March 2018), Nancy G Roman in household of Irwin Roman, Ward 28, Baltimore City, Baltimore City, Baltimore City, Maryland, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 4-887, sheet 3A, line 12, family 54, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 1542.

• Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
  Find A Grave: Memorial #195683689 (accessed 16 December 2025)
  Memorial page for Nancy Grace Roman (16 May 1925-25 Dec 2018), citing New Saint Marcus Cemetery and Mausoleum, Affton, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.