The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is preparing to launch. On Sunday, Aug. 30, the next-generation observatory will launch to begin its mission to transform our understanding of dark energy and exoplanets. On this week’s Planetary Radio, hear from Julie McEnery, senior project scientist for Roman at NASA Goddard, and Jason Rhodes, project scientist for Roman at JPL, about what's ahead. Pictured: Roman being encapsulated in the payload fairing ahead of mating to a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. Image credit: NASA/Sydney Rohde (Rocz).

Human-related microbes could survive on the Moon’s south pole. A new study suggests that some microbes that live on humans can survive the conditions found in some shadowed areas near the lunar south pole. Because this area is where the Artemis IV mission aims to land, the study seeks to understand how potential contamination could interfere with science goals.

Bad weather has delayed China’s Chang’e-7 mission. A powerful tropical storm has forced the Chinese space agency to postpone the launch of the lunar mission, possibly until 2027. Chang’e-7 aims to seek out water ice on the Moon using a combination of orbiting, landing, roving, and hopping spacecraft.