NASA completes first checkout flight of airborne observatory(Forwarded)

Dwayne Brown
Headquarters, Washington April 26, 2007
Phone: 202-258-1726

Beth Hagenauer
NASA Dryden Research Center, Edwards Calif.
Phone: 661-276-7960

Mike Mewhinney
NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
Phone: 650-604-3937

RELEASE: 07-22AR

NASA COMPLETES FIRST CHECKOUT FLIGHT OF AIRBORNE OBSERVATORY

WACO, Texas -- NASA today successfully completed the first of several
planned checkout test flights of the Stratospheric Observatory for
Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) aircraft.

The flight took place in Waco, Texas, to observe the low-speed and
low-altitude handling performance of the aircraft. NASA research
pilot and former astronaut Gordon Fullerton led the crew making the
historic first flight.

"Today's first flight of SOFIA is a major milestone for the program
and I want to thank the entire SOFIA team for all of its hard work
over the years in making this first flight a success," said Jon
Morse, director of the Astrophysics Division, NASA Headquarters,
Washington.

The tests are required prior to the aircraft's ferry flight to its
home base at NASA's Dryden Research Center, Edwards, Calif.,
tentatively scheduled for late May or early June. Once the aircraft
arrives at Dryden, further development and a series of flight tests
will take place leading up to science observations scheduled for 2009
or 2010.

Prior to this first successful flight, the airplane underwent major
modifications at L-3 Communications Integrated Systems in Waco,
Texas. To enable the 45,000-pound infrared telescope to scan the
skies, the 747SP was modified by cutting a 16-foot tall opening in
the aft fuselage, and equipping it with a sliding door. By flying at
altitudes above 40,000 feet, this special 747SP will rise above most
atmospheric water vapor to give the 98.4-inch diameter infrared
telescope clear access to collect infrared images from space. The
telescope can be positioned anywhere in the skies, unlike
ground-based telescopes, and between science missions it can be
serviced and reconfigured as needed to accomplish world-class
astronomy.

SOFIA will study the universe in the infrared spectrum. SOFIA also
will be used to develop observational techniques, new
instrumentation, and to educate young scientists and teachers in the
discipline of infrared astronomy.

SOFIA is a joint international effort by NASA and DLR, the German
Aerospace Center. The aircraft will be based at Dryden. SOFIA's
science center is located at NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett
Field, Calif. The entire effort is supported by Universities Space
Research Association (USRA), a non-profit group of universities
created in 1969 by the National Academy of Sciences, as well as the
Deutsche SOFIA Institute (DSI), Stuttgart, Germany.

For more information about SOFIA, visit:
http://www.sofia.usra.edu

For more information about NASA, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov