The Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy was an 80/20 joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center to construct and maintain an airborne observatory. NASA awarded the contract for
SOFIA with the telescope door open in flight.
SOFIA during flight
The NASA logo reflected in SOFIAs 2.5-meter primary mirror.
The SOFIA aircraft pictured during a test flight in 1998. Still mostly in United Airlines livery, a black square has been painted on the aft fuselage to indicate the location of the door that would be opened in flight to allow the telescope access to the sky.
Kuiper Airborne Observatory
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The Gerard P. Kuiper Airborne Observatory was a national facility operated by NASA to support research in infrared astronomy. The observation platform was a highly modified Lockheed C-141A Starlifter
Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy
…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…
The KAO in flight
KAO inside
KAO's telescope
KAO and SOFIA, Ames Research Center 2008