Bangladeshi astronomer Lamiya Mowla to lead NASA mission exploring dark universe

NASA is preparing to launch a new space observatory designed to probe some of the universe’s biggest unanswered questions, from the nature of dark matter and dark energy to the existence of distant planets — with Bangladeshi astronomer Lamiya Ashraf Mowla playing a leading role in the mission.

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, NASA’s next-generation observatory, is scheduled for launch on Aug. 30 as scientists seek to gain a broader view of the cosmos and better understand how the universe formed, evolved and continues to expand.

Moula, an astronomer at Wellesley College’s Whitin Observatory in Massachusetts, has already contributed to major international space research, including work with the James Webb Space Telescope research community in 2021. Her leadership role in the Roman mission marks another significant step in her career and highlights the growing contribution of Bangladeshi scientists to global astronomy.

Scientists estimate that ordinary matter — including stars, planets, gas and dust — accounts for only about 5 percent of the universe’s total mass-energy content. The remainder is attributed to dark matter and dark energy, whose fundamental nature remains largely unknown.

The Roman telescope is expected to provide scientists with an unprecedented amount of data on the large-scale structure and expansion of the universe. Unlike the James Webb Space Telescope, which is optimized for detailed observations of relatively small regions, Roman will survey vast areas of the sky, allowing researchers to study cosmic structures on a much broader scale.

One of the mission’s key objectives is to investigate dark energy, the mysterious phenomenon believed to be driving the accelerating expansion of the universe. Researchers hope Roman’s observations will help refine their understanding of how that expansion has changed over cosmic history.

The observatory will also search for exoplanets — worlds orbiting stars beyond the solar system. Using techniques including gravitational microlensing, scientists will be able to detect distant planets that are difficult to identify through more conventional methods.

Moula said the mission could shed light not only on dark matter and dark energy but also on the diversity of planetary systems and the processes through which planets form and evolve.

She also emphasized the potential for Bangladesh to make a larger contribution to space science, saying greater research opportunities, scientific infrastructure and a stronger educational environment could enable more Bangladeshi scientists to take leading roles in international space research.

NASA says major construction and testing of the Roman telescope have been carried out at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. The spacecraft has been moved to Florida’s Kennedy Space Center for final launch preparations.

If the mission launches successfully and begins its planned scientific operations, Roman is expected to transform the study of the universe by combining an exceptionally wide field of view with sensitive observations across vast regions of space.

For Bangladeshi science, the mission carries an additional significance: a scientist with roots in Bangladesh is helping lead an effort aimed at answering some of humanity’s most fundamental questions about the cosmos.