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Posted by Andrew Yee on January 17, 2008, 12:58 am
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Grey Hautaluoma
Headquarters, Washington Jan. 16, 2008
202-358-0668
Beth Hagenauer
Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif.
661-276-7960
RELEASE: 08-010
SOFIA COMPLETES CLOSED-DOOR TEST FLIGHTS
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for
Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, has passed a significant mission
milestone. It has completed the first phase of experimental flight
tests, which confirmed the structural integrity and performance of
the modified 747SP SOFIA aircraft that carries a huge infrared
telescope.
The telescope measures nearly 10 feet in width and weighs almost 19
tons. It peers through a 16-foot-high door cut into SOFIA's 747
fuselage. During this test series, the aircraft flew five times with
this external door closed. These flights tested the limits of the
aircraft's capabilities in many areas, including aerodynamics,
structural integrity, stability and control, and handling qualities.
"SOFIA is already a technological marvel, and will soon be a powerful
tool for studying the birth and evolution of planets, stars, and
galaxies," said Alan Stern, associate administrator of NASA's Science
Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington. "The completion
of its closed door testing phase is a major milestone on the way to
SOFIA's inaugural science flights next year."
The SOFIA program also checked the functionality of the aircraft's
cutting edge, German-built telescope. Engineers tested the ability of
the instrument's control system to maintain its precise position when
tracking a celestial object, even while the aircraft moves and
maneuvers through the sky.
"The project finished a very important milestone on the path to the
first astronomy work with the telescope, which is expected in early
2009," said Robert Meyer, SOFIA program manager at NASA's Dryden
Flight Research Center, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
The aircraft now will undergo installation and integration of the
remaining elements of the observatory before open-door test flights
scheduled to begin in late 2008. After completing the initial
open-door test flight, limited science observation flights will begin
in 2009. The science community will survey the universe with five
specialized instruments on SOFIA as the observatory begins normal
science observation flights in 2011. The observatory reaches full
operational capabilities in 2014.
The SOFIA aircraft is based at Dryden's newly established Aircraft
Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., where it will remain for
additional development, flight testing and science flight operations.
The program is a partnership of NASA and the German Aerospace Center.
Dryden manages the SOFIA program. NASA's Ames Research Center,
Moffett Field, Calif., manages the science project:
http://www.nasa.gov/sofia
For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov
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