The public can see it fly one more time this month.
NASA’s one-of-a-kind 747 SOFIA flying telescope flew its final mission on Sep 28, wrapping up a career revealing mysteries of the universe that will keep astronomers busy for years to come.
Sure NASA has telescopes in space to observe different areas of the cosmos in different ways. And telescopes exist on top of hills and mountains to observe the night sky and various phenomenon across our own galaxy and others.
But space-based telescopes cost billions of dollars, and are made for deep-space observing. And land-based telescopes are restricted in 3 major ways. They can’t be moved to observe different areas or targets across the sky. They rely on good weather. And they stargaze through an atmosphere thick with water vapor, no matter how good the weather is. It’s like looking at an object at the bottom of a pool.
What was SOFIA?
So NASA decided to put a telescope on a plane to fly it wherever they want. They acquired a former Pan Am 747 passenger plane known as Clipper Lindbergh, and teamed up with the German Space Agency (DLR) to come up with the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA).
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Engineers modified a Boeing 747SP to carry the DLR’s 38,000-pound, 100-inch reflective telescope. They also developed a “garage door” on the plane that rolled up to let the telescope work, as the plane flies above clouds and water vapor. SOFIA was also equipped with interchangeable instruments, to help the telescope make the right type of observations for a given mission.
It was one of the largest open ports ever flown on an aircraft, and the largest certified to fly at all altitudes and speeds with the door open. Pilots couldn’t even feel when the door was open. The stability of the telescope itself was equivalent to keeping a laser pointer steady on a penny from 10 miles away.
SOFIA was fully operational for 8 years, and logged 732 nights of observing. It helped astronomers worldwide study a wide range of cosmic events and objects invisible to other telescopes.
SOFIA led to amazing discoveries
They detected, for the first time in space, the first type of molecule that ever formed in the universe. They observed the brightest and closest supernova to Earth in decades. SOFIA made observations suggesting that Comets may have delivered much of the Carbon found in the inner solar system (a key ingredient to life as we currently know it).
SOFIA even intercepted Pluto’s shadow as it swept across the ocean at over 50,000 mph. It gave scientists an opportunity to record data on the planet’s makeup, as a star behind it illuminated the atmosphere.
Astronomers can identify elements in a planet’s atmosphere when this occurs, telling them what the world is made of. SOFIA was the only telescope able to be at that precise location for the event as it happened.
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SOFIA studied cosmic magnetic fields, the structure and core of our Milky Way galaxy, and the origin of cosmic rays. The mission also discovered water on the sunlit side of the moon, and so much more.
End of an era
But as they say, all good things come to an end. SOFIA completed its primary 5-year mission in 2019. It was then granted a 3-year extension. But in the time since, it’s costs have been deemed no longer worth the benefit.
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With the observatory now retired, NASA is exploring options for a permanent home for the special aircraft.
You can see it fly one more time
But before that happens, NASA will show off SOFIA to the public Oct 15-16 at Edwards AFB for the Aerospace Valley Air Show. And it won’t just be a static display either. NASA intends to fly it for everyone in attendance.