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Project Description
The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy – SOFIA
– will be a Boeing 747 SP with a 2.7 m telescope. The observatory
will operate in the lower stratosphere, enabling astronomers to
observe at most infrared and submillimeter wavelengths. The SOFIA
program is cooperatively sponsored by NASA, with the project office
at Ames Research Center, and by the German Aerospace Center, DLR,
in Bonn. The prime contractor for NASA is USRA, with subcontractors
Raytheon (Waco) for aircraft modification and United Airlines Services
Corporation (San Francisco) for aircraft operations. The DLR contractors
are MAN (Augsburg) for telescope structure and stabilization, and
Kayser-Threde (Munich) for optics and tracking.
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Telescope Development
Currently in Germany, the primary mirror polishing is completed
and the large high-precision parts of the telescope support system
are nearing completion. In Waco, Texas the main bulkhead, on which
the telescope mounts and which isolates the telescope cavity from
the cabin, is being installed in the aircraft. The telescope is scheduled
for shipment from Germany to Waco in mid 2002, where integration into
the aircraft will occur.
At the NASA Ames Operations Center, the primary mirror coating
chamber and the vacuum plumbing are being installed in the hangar
coating laboratory. The USRA observatory staff expects to move into
the Operations Center in January 2002.
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Program Schedule
SOFIA's Boeing 747 SP and 2.7 m telescope will enable unprecedented
astronomical observations
at most infrared and submillimeter wavelengths. The program is cooperatively
sponsored by NASA,
with the project office at Ames Research Center, and by the German
Aerospace Center, DLR, in Bonn.
On the current schedule, SOFIA will begin operations under prime contractor
USRA in late 2004. |
Back to SOFIA eNewsletter
for Scientists
Go to SOFIA Homepage
SOFIA related websites
Science Background:
http://sofia.arc.nasa.gov/Science/science/sci_opport.html
DLR (German) SOFIA Science:
http://remotesensing.dlr.de/IR/SOFIA/
SOFIA Science Instruments:
http://sofia.arc.nasa.gov/observatory/instruments/sci_instruments.html
Other SOFIA news and updates:
http://sofia.arc.nasa.gov/News/news_updates.html
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