SOFIA--The Next Generation Airborne Observatory 2.5-meter (100-inch) telescope in a Boeing 747SP Based at NASA-Dryden’s Aircraft Ops Facility in Palmdale, with Science Center at NASA-Ames hour research flights per year; 20 year lifetime 20% share with the German space agency DLR The world’s largest portable telescope! Useful for both visible and infrared research 1+ month per year in southern hemisphere First test flights in 2007, first science flights in 2010

SOFIA — The Observatory open cavity (door not shown) TELESCOPE pressure bulkhead scientific instrument (1 of 7) Scientist work stations, telescope and instrument control, etc. Educator work stations

Ready for First Light

“Line Ops” (ground tests)

First 100%-Open Door Test Flight December 2009

“ First Light” flight plan, May 25/26, Le g OBJECTPDTstart DU R Min1 DEAD LEG 09: DEAD LEG 10: DEAD LEG 10: DEAD LEG 10: ALPHA SCO 10: TW OPH 11: DEAD LEG 11:253 8 RZ UMA 11: DEAD LEG 11: EPSILON SCO 11: RHO UMA 12: DEAD LEG 12: M 82 01: DEAD LEG 01: ETA SGR 01: DEAD LEG 02: LAMBDA DRA 02: V CVN 03: DEAD LEG 03: DEAD LEG 04: JUPITER04: DEAD LEG 04: /17/10 SOFIA Observatory Flight Readiness Review

Southern hemisphere deployment -- flight plan to study the Galactic Center

 Dwarf planet Pluto (V ~ 14) occulted a star (V ~ 14.4).  SOFIA met the shadow of Pluto in mid-Pacific. =>  HIPO (Lowell Obs.) and FDC (DSI) instruments observed the occultation simultaneously. SOFIA observations of a stellar occultation by Pluto on July 23, 2011 Image sequence from the Fast Diagnostic Camera (FDC) FDC Pluto (circled) is 13 arcsec from the star 200 minutes before the occultation Just before occultation: Pluto and star merged, combined light During occultation: Pluto and star merged, only Pluto light seen After occultation: Pluto and star merged, combined light

Further information:  SOFIA Science Center home page