De Anza Student Working on Airborne Observatory

De Anza College sophomore Robert (Rob) Wilbur is working with the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) on software for the Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy - or SOFIA - Project. Rob’s participation in SOFIA is at the NASA Ames Research Center through the Foothill-De Anza Internship Program. Because this internship program can be for up to two years, Rob has been assigned to the Science Targeted Observatory Testing team for the long-term task of functionally testing the Mission Control Subsystem software. After familiarizing himself with the integrated SOFIA Command Language, Rob is currently writing test procedures under the supervision of SOFIA Project Scientist Dr. Jackie Davidson.

SOFIA will conduct infrared astronomy using a 2.5-meter telescope mounted in a modified 747SP. USRA leads a team selected by NASA to modify the aircraft, integrate the telescope, and operate the airborne observatory. SOFIA will fly at up to 45,000 feet, above 99.9% of the Earth’s water vapor. The airborne observatory will operate out of Moffett Federal Airfield, adjacent to NASA Ames in Mountain View, CA.

SOFIA is funded by NASA and managed by USRA, a private, nonprofit corporation chartered in 1969 under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences "as an entity in and by means of which universities and other research institutions may cooperate with one another, with the government of the United States, and with other organizations toward the development of knowledge associated with space science and technology." Current membership in the Association includes 95 universities and research institutes in the United States, two member institutions in Canada, three in Europe, and two in Israel.