Home / Aviation / NASA's Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) 32
Creation date / 2008 / January / 14
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3,500+ tourii line up for a look inside SOFIA
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The Kuiper Airborne Observatory, the predecessor to SOFIA, a modified former USAF C-141 Starlifter that flew from 1975 until 1996, carrying a 0.95 meter diameter reflector telescope for infrared and visible spectrum research
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Close-up of the telescope damping system components, made from German heavy-duty pneumatic truck suspension shock absorbers - these assist in isolating the telescope assembly from the aircraft so that the telescope assembly can remain bore-sighted on astronomical targets within an area the size of a dime, viewed from over 10 miles away
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The SOFIA aircraft has been upgraded with four of the latest-and-greatest General Electric 72,000-pound thrust CF6-80E1 turbofan engines, since the aircraft will be flying through at least the year 2030, and the newest engines will more than pay for themselves in fuel/thrust efficiency savings, especially given the price of oil these days, and almost certainly the future (a 747 burns around 3400 gallons of Jet-A fuel per hour at cruise altitude)
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Another view of the telescope sensor instrument support framing and counterweights, along with the cabling that carries sensor data off the telescope assembly to the data processing, recording, and analysis computers and display/control consoles
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The SOFIA aircraft was re-christened the Clipper Lindbergh, by the grandson of Charles Lindbergh, with its original moniker as one of Pan Am's 747SP Clippers that flew routes across the Pacific Ocean
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The NASA, DLR, and Clipper Lindbergh logos on the port (left) forward area of the fuselage, just forward of the front door
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View along the port (left) side of the fuselage, including the expanded "waistline" where the telescope cavity is, and the outer cavity door (OCD) system, covering a 10 foot wide, by 16 foot high, opening through the aft (rearward) portion of the fuselage
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SOFIA is a joint international effort between NASA and the Deutschen Zentrums für Luft-und Raumfahrt (DLR - the German Aerospace Research Center, an agency much smaller than NASA that coordinates efforts between aerospace contractors)
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Perspective view of the telescope sensor instrument support framing, in the context of how the telescope assembly extends down through the main deck into the former baggage compartment - you can get a much better appreciation of how large the telescope assembly really is - the pressure bulkhead that the telescope assembly is mounted in is well over 20 feet in diameter
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Close-up of the telescope sensor instrument support framing, where up to six instruments can be mounted at the focal points for infrared and/or visible light collected by the reflector telescope - note the counterweights bolted around the periphery, which have to be swapped in/out with their corresponding instrument assemblies
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"The nose knows!", as Jimmy Durante used to say. Even for this aircraft, originally delivered to Pan Am on 6 May 1977, the level of technology in that nose is still impressive today - heck, the first test pilot for SOFIA, after its extensive modifications, was a NASA astronaut!
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View of the open overhead framing (note the flight control system cables passing through lightening holes in the frames, that are connected to hydraulic valves through "bell crank" levers, for moving the ailerons, elevators, and rudder), some of the operator consoles (none of which are populated with equipment, yet), and the aft pressure bulkhead, through which the telescope assembly passes, and is supported by, a one-meter diameter spherical bearing that is accurate to within one micron of radius
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Excitation track power distribution panel equipment rack in the operations area on the main deck that routes power to subsystems used to control movement of the telescope assembly
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The overhead framing that used to support the overhead bins along the centerline of the former economy section - the supports have been retained because they also support the emergency oxygen supply lines, seen here as the stainless steel tubing with the green labeling and fixtures - military transport aircrew-style full-face oxygen masks are provided at each crew member's seat console position