Begoña Vila stars in documentary about the Nancy Grace Roman space telescope mission

A look at NASA’s next major scientific mission

Galician scientist and engineer Begoña Vila stars in Rumbo a las estrellas (Después del eclipse), a documentary following the decisive days of NASA’s next major scientific mission: the Nancy Grace Roman space telescope. The feature film is being shot by Meteórica Cine in co-production with Abano Producións and was presented in Santiago de Compostela to coincide with the start of part of the filming in Galicia.

The presentation took place on 11 August 2026, during Begoña Vila’s visit to her homeland to observe the total solar eclipse due on 12 August. The engineer’s presence in Galicia will allow the team to bring a particularly personal dimension to the documentary, linked to her return to her roots and reunion with her family and friends.

The project combines technical coverage of one of NASA’s most ambitious space missions with Vila’s human and professional journey. She was born in Valadares, Vigo, and lives in Maryland, United States. Her work on developing the Nancy Grace Roman telescope provides the connecting thread for a story that also explores a vocation for science, professional responsibility and the sacrifices associated with a career in science and engineering.

The telescope that will seek new answers about the universe

How many planets exist beyond the Solar System? Could some of them have conditions capable of supporting life? Are we alone in the universe? What are dark matter and dark energy? These are some of the questions humanity has been trying to answer for decades, and they form part of the Nancy Grace Roman space telescope’s scientific objectives.

The mission aims to address these questions through an unprecedented level of precision in observing the universe, according to the documentary’s presentation material. The feature film shows the technical and human process behind the construction and launch of this telescope, as well as the work of the teams involved in its development.

Begoña Vila is part of that mission, having already played a prominent role in the development of the James Webb space telescope, for which she was chief systems engineer. During the event held in Santiago, the scientist shared her professional experience and explained her work on both James Webb and Nancy Grace Roman, as well as on the Habitable Worlds project.

The documentary thus focuses on a decisive stage for the future space telescope. The launch of Nancy Grace Roman is scheduled for 30 August from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. Filming follows this moment from different locations connected with the mission and its protagonist’s career.

The eclipse and the coronagraph principle

During the presentation, Begoña Vila also explained the significance of the total solar eclipse that will be visible from Galicia. According to information provided by the production, it will be the first total solar eclipse visible from the Iberian Peninsula in more than a century.

The scientist linked this astronomical phenomenon to one of the Nancy Grace Roman telescope’s most advanced instruments: the coronagraph. A total solar eclipse makes it possible to observe the solar corona by blocking the light from the Sun’s disc. Similarly, the space telescope’s coronagraph is designed to obscure the brightness of stars and make the exoplanets orbiting them visible.

This parallel between the eclipse and the future telescope’s technology is one of the documentary’s central presentation themes. Observing a phenomenon visible from Galicia connects Vila’s personal experience with the scientific work she carries out in the United States and the search for new worlds beyond the Solar System.

Filming in Galicia will include observing the eclipse alongside the protagonist’s family and friends. The shoot is therefore taking place at a key moment in the Nancy Grace Roman mission and offers a closer look at the Galician engineer, connected to her homeland.

The career of a Galician scientist at NASA

Rumbo a las estrellas (Después del eclipse) tells the story of a woman born in a Galician village who holds positions of responsibility on one of the most important missions in the history of astronomy. Through Begoña Vila, the film focuses on the path required to build a scientific career and the challenges of working on highly complex space projects.

The production also aims to highlight female scientists leading a traditionally male-dominated field. Vila’s story provides a personal perspective on women’s presence in science and engineering, linked to her professional decisions and the demands of a career developed between Galicia and the United States.

The feature film has access to various NASA facilities and institutions involved in astronomical research. The team is filming at the Goddard Space Flight Centre in Greenbelt, Maryland; the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, also in Maryland; and the Kennedy Space Centre at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Galicia is hosting another part of the shoot during the protagonist’s visit for the solar eclipse.

The documentary’s structure combines these working environments with moments of Vila’s return to Galicia. The aim is to show both the mission’s scientific dimension and the story of the person taking part in it, her connection to the place where she was born and the journey that led to her joining NASA projects.

Galician production and television involvement

The documentary is produced by Meteórica Cine, whose most recent documentary series, The Great Way, was broadcast in more than 40 countries, in co-production with Abano Producións, a production company that has won five Goya Awards.

The team includes Alba Prol, director and screenwriter; Raúl García and Chelo Loureiro, producers; Luci Pan, director of photography; and Uxía Caneda, responsible for the soundtrack, among other professionals.

The project involves the Odisea channel, part of AMC Global Media, and Televisión de Galicia. It also receives support from the Galician Agency for Cultural Industries, AGADIC, and the Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts, ICAA, for both the screenplay and production.

In addition, the project is sponsored by Xacobeo 2027 for activities connected with the presentation of the shoot in Galicia. The production is therefore keeping a significant part of its development in the Galician region while following Vila’s work at different NASA facilities.

The film is currently in production. Begoña Vila’s visit to Galicia and the observation of the total solar eclipse add a chapter to the documentary linked to the protagonist’s personal story and a decisive moment for the Nancy Grace Roman telescope, whose launch is scheduled for 30 August from Florida.