NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is set to launch this weekend. When will we see its first photos?

NASA's next-generation cosmic observatory — the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope — is set to launch this weekend on a potentially decade-long mission to hunt for distant exoplanets , map out the Milky Way and unravel some of the universe's biggest mysteries, such as the true nature of dark matter .

The Roman telescope and its payload are scheduled to lift off aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket Sunday (Aug.

30) at 7:26 a.m.

EDT from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, according to NASA .

A few hours later, the telescope will be released from the rocket's second stage and be exposed to the vacuum of space for the first time.

But even if everything goes according to plan, we will still have to wait a while to get a glimpse of Roman's first groundbreaking images.

As of Thursday morning (Aug.

27), the National Weather Service forecasts a 50% chance of thunderstorms at Kennedy Space Center Sunday, so weather could delay the launch.

If that happens, a second launch window is available Monday (Aug.

31) at 7:22 a.m.

EDT, when there is a reduced risk of thunderstorms.

You can watch the event on a SpaceX livestream and stay up to date with last-minute developments and postlaunch news via a live blog from Live Science's sister site Space.com.

Roman stands 42 feet tall and weighs around the same as a fully grown T. rex .

This photo was taken on Dec.