SOFIA: The next generation airborne observatory

NASA and DARA are collaborating in plans for SOFIA - The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy. It is a 2.5 m telescope to be installed in a Boeing 747 aircraft and operated at altitudes from 41,000 to 45,000 ft. It will permit routine measurement of IR radiation absorbed by the atmosphere at lower altitudes, and observation of astronomical objects and transient events from anywhere in the world. The concept is based on 20 yr of experience with NASA's Kuiper Airborne Observatory, which SOFIA would replace. SOFIA will complement the capabilities of other future space missions, and will enable scientists to make observations which would otherwise be made from space. (Author)