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SOFIA eNewsletter for Scientists

v14 January 5, 2006

This fourteenth SOFIA Electronic Newsletter to the astronomical community features highlights of the five science instruments not covered in our previous edition (V13, October 5, 2005). Please email comments and/or inquiries to SOFIA@usra.edu.

Regards and Best Wishes for the New Year,

PROGRAM RESTRUCTURING

The reorganization of the project management described in the previous newsletter is nearing completion. Mr. Joel Kearns of NASA-Ames has been selected as the full-time Program Manager, and Dr. Xander Tielens has joined the Ames staff as NASA's Project Scientist. NASA has assumed responsibility for systems engineering to complete development, and will manage separate contracts for completion of the Aircraft System (L-3 Communications), Science and Mission Operations (USRA), and Flight Operations (TBD). The Deutsches SOFIA Institut(DSI/Stuttgart), funded by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), will continue support of observatory testing and Science and Mission Operations. The NASA Program Office is currently refining a comprehensive schedule for completion and flight-testing of the aircraft. The subsequent schedule leading to first science operations is expected to be completed in the spring of 2006.

SOFIA AT THE JANUARY AAS MEETING

Session 159 on Wednesday, January 11, from 2:00 to 3:30 pm will feature SOFIA. Presentations by Xander Tielens, Eric Becklin, Sean Casey, Mark Morris, Ted Bergin, and Eli Dwek will describe the observatory's potential, status and capabilities, science instruments, and selected science topics. Dana Backman will chair the session and Hashima Hassan will provide introductory remarks.

PROGRESS ON FIRST-GENERATION SCIENCE INSTRUMENTS

Below we describe recent accomplishments and plans for five of SOFIA's nine first-generation science instruments:

FIFI-LS, the 42-210 micron Far-Infrared Field Imaging Line Spectrometer (PI Albrecht Poglitsch, MPE/Garching): All of FIFI's hardware subsystems have been tested and integrated into the flight cryostat. Much of the optical alignment has been verified at cryogenic temperatures. Functionality tests of the system are in progress using the spectrometer control and data acquisition software. End-to-end tests including detector and cryogenic readout performance are planned to occur in mid-2006.

HAWC, the 40-300 micron High-resolution Airborne Wideband Camera (PI Al Harper, University of Chicago): Final dark testing of the 12x32 pop-up bolometer flight array developed at NASA-GFSC demonstrated that the noise is close to the background-limited level expected in flight. The flight array and most other hardware subsystems are being integrated in the flight cryostat. HAWC, a SOFIA Facility Instrument, is expected to move to NASA-Ames in 2008 for electromagnetic compatibility and airworthiness certification.

CASIMIR, the 150-600 micron (2-0.5 THz) Caltech Airborne Submillimeter Interstellar Medium Investigations Receiver (PI Jonas Zmuidzinas, Caltech): The first-flight heterodyne mixers are complete. Integration of mixers with the flight cryostats is scheduled to begin in early 2006. Integration with the flight optics chassis is expected in mid-2006. Most flight optics are in-hand, and flight-qualified cables have been ordered. CASIMIR is scheduled for delivery in 2008.

EXES, the 5-28.5 micron Echelon Cross Echelle Spectrograph (PI John Lacy, University of Texas/Austin): The opto-mechanical assembly has been completed. The flight cryostat has been received, but needs some modifications which are planned for spring 2006. Installation of the optics in the cryostat andcold testing with visible light will follow in summer 2006. The first infrared tests of the instrument are scheduled this fall, with ground-based observations to occur from McDonald Observatory about a year later.

SAFIRE, the 100-655 micron Submillimeter And Far-InfraRed Experiment (PI Harvey Moseley, NASA-GSFC): "FIBRE", a prototype of the SAFIRE instrument was used recently at the CSO. The 1x8 pop-up array of transition edge sensors provided images of Venus at 354 microns. Independent funding has been secured to investigate a novel "backshort under grid" (BUG) array that eventually may enable kilo-pixel bolometer arrays. Expected SOFIA funding availability projects a SAFIRE completion date in 2009.

General investigators will have opportunities to propose observations with any of the science instruments once they have been commissioned. More details on all the instruments and their expected performance on SOFIA (excluding the FLITECAM and FORCAST grisms) is at:
http://www.sofia.usra.edu/Science/instruments/sci_instruments.html

SCIENCE PROGRAM INFORMATION

Please contact Dana Backman (dbackman@sofia.usra.edu) if your institution would like a scientific colloquium - including information on SOFIA's capabilities and future observing opportunities - by a member of SOFIA's science staff. A brief program summary for astronomers may be obtained at the SOFIA exhibit at the AAS meeting, and is also on-line:
http://www.sofia.usra.edu/Science/SOFIA_ProgramSummary/04EricksonDustyConf.pdf

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