Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy

Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)

SOFIA with the telescope door open in flight.
Alternative names	SOFIA
Organization	NASA / DLR / USRA / DSI
Location	Palmdale Airport (most of the year); Christchurch International Airport (for about 2 months around June/July)
Coordinates	43°29′22″S 172°31′56″E / 43.48944°S 172.53222°E / -43.48944; 172.53222
Altitude	ground: 702 m (2,303 ft); airborne: 13.7 km (45,000 ft)
Established	2010
Closed	September 29, 2022
Website	SOFIA Science Center NASA SOFIA DLR SOFIA DSI
Telescopes
SOFIA 2.5-meter (98-inch) Bent Cassegrain with chopping secondary mirror and flat folding tertiary, Nasmyth focus
Location of Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)
Related media on Commons
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The Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) was an 80/20 joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR)^[1] to construct and maintain an airborne observatory. NASA awarded the contract for the development of the aircraft, operation of the observatory and management of the American part of the project to the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) in 1996. The DSI (German SOFIA Institute; German: Deutsches SOFIA Institut) managed the German parts of the project which were primarily science-and telescope-related. SOFIA's telescope saw first light on May 26, 2010. SOFIA was the successor to the Kuiper Airborne Observatory. During 10-hour, overnight flights, it observed celestial magnetic fields, star-forming regions, comets, nebulae, and the Galactic Center.

Science flights have now concluded, after the landing of the 921st and last flight in the early morning of September 29, 2022. The Boeing 747SP used to carry the telescope has been preserved and put on display at the Pima Air & Space Museum near Tucson, Arizona.