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SOFIA's progress since the integration of the telescope
into the aircraft in January '03 has continued to transform the
747-SP aircraft into an observatory. The telescope has been placed
on the hard stops and the cables and hydraulic lines are being installed.
The instrument flange and metering structure (see Figure 1) have
been installed on the bearing and the secondary mirror is in place
as well. After the extensive aircraft modifications, SOFIA has been
removed from the supporting jack stands onto its newly-refurbished
landing gear. Assembly of the aircraft cavity door continues at
NASA Ames Research Center. In this newsletter, we discuss the SOFIA
Science and Mission Operations Center (SSMOC), which consists of
all SOFIA equipment and personnel.
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Figure1: A wide angle view of the SOFIA
telescope
through the aircraft opening. The telescope carbon
fiber metering structure, including the secondary
mirror support, is now mounted on the bulkhead of
the aircraft. The primary mirror will be placed on the
metering structure in July. US House Representative
Chet Edwards from Waco, TX is standing in the center
of the open air cavity.
Click on image for close-up view |
The SOFIA operations center will be located
in hangar N211 at NASA Ames Research Center. The hangar has
been completely refurbished to house the SOFIA Observatory,
which includes the aircraft with the telescope, most needed
support equipment, science instrument support labs, the engineering
and maintenance personnel, the flight operations personnel,
support staff, science staff, visiting scientists, and the
education and public outreach program.
The aircraft fits nicely into the hangar, which
includes an easy access ramp and a nose dock (see Figures
2 and 3). A special supply of aircraft support equipment is
now being assembled by United Airlines. Minor aircraft maintenance
will be done in the hangar by United mechanics. A major piece
of equipment relating to the telescope is the mirror coating
facility (see Figure 4). This facility, provided by Chart
Inc's Coastal Fabricators, will coat the SOFIA primary mirror
with a 0.2 micron layer of aluminum, making the mirror 98%
reflective throughout the infrared wavelengths. The facility
has been tested by SOFIA and University of California Observatory
personnel, and is now awaiting the arrival of the aircraft,
telescope, and primary mirror next year.
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Figure 2: Drawing of hangar
N211 showing the housing position of the SOFIA aircraft. |
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| Figure
3: A photo of the inside of N211 without the aircraft.The
blue structure is the access ramp to the aircraft. The mirror
coating facility is behind the wall i n the center of the
photo.
Click
on image for close-up view
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Figure
4: The SOFIA mirror coating facility inside
N211 during a recent test run. Patrick Waddell,
SOFIA Mission Operations Manager, is shown
near the access port.
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The operations center will also contain
labs that will house both facility and visiting science instruments.
Minor repairs and checkout can also be performed in these labs.
Before flight, science instruments will be checked for performance
in a simulation lab that mimics the actual telescope. The instruments
will then be placed on a cart and rolled into the aircraft. All
eighty SOFIA personnel, including fifteen German-funded positions,
will have office space within the hangar. Visiting scientists will
have special offices with computer and network access. The education
and public outreach will be housed on the second floor, with a large
conference room that overlooks the aircraft. Special programs for
visitors, including possible flights on SOFIA, are being planned.
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