1. 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

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

3. Ready for First Light

4. “Line Ops” (ground tests)
The Partners Program is to support SOFIA-affiliated people (scientists, engineers, technicians, etc.) in partnerships with teachers in their own communities.

5. First 100%-Open Door Test Flight December 2009
The Partners Program is to support SOFIA-affiliated people (scientists, engineers, technicians, etc.) in partnerships with teachers in their own communities.

7. “First Light” flight plan, May 25/26, 2010
Leg
OBJECT
PDT
start
DUR
Min 1
DEAD LEG
09:50 14 2
10:05 9 3
10:15 7 4
10:24 10 5
ALPHA SCO
10:34 27 6
TW OPH
11:01 22
11:25 8
RZ UMA
11:29 25
11:56
EPSILON SCO
11:58 30 11
RHO UMA
12:31 12
12:58 13
M 82
01:11 36
01:48 15
ETA SGR
01:54 53 16
02:48 17
LAMBDA DRA
02:54 18
V CVN
03:20 19
03:46 20
04:00 21
JUPITER
04:06
04:35 40 7
5/17/10
SOFIA Observatory Flight Readiness Review

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

9. SOFIA observations of a stellar
occultation by Pluto on July 23, 2011
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.
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

10. Further information: SOFIA Science Center home page