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We are “get used to” to think about telescopes as solutions found on the Earth’s surface or in Space. Let’s think for example of the telescopes located in Chile (such as the European Southern Observatory, ESO) or to well-known space telescopes such as JWST and HST. A different approach was the one employed for SOFIAacronym of Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy.
In this case it was in fact thought of inserting a powerful telescope inside a Boeing 747SP airplane. This trick allows you to have an observation instrument that can be moved anywhere there is a long enough stake without the complexities of a space launch. Furthermore, at that altitude the atmosphere absorbs less infrared radiation allowing better observations than those on the earth’s surface.
The SOFIA flying telescope will be visible in a museum
However, new technologies and the costs of use and maintenance have forced the NASA and the DLR extension (German space agency that developed the telescope) to conclude its operational life in September of this year. Before finishing his “career” however, the flying telescope contributed (directly) one last time to scientific research. In fact, in mid-September a new study was announced to estimate the amount of water on the Moon. A fundamental research also for the Artemis missions.
However, the US space agency did not want to “destroy” such an important symbol for scientists. SOFIA thus found permanent accommodation at Pima Air & Space Museum of Tucson. Here visitors will be able to admire it also considering that it is still a Boeing 747an iconic airplane model whose production has just ended (although the various units will still fly for some time).
One of the peculiarities is that the airplane could fly with the fuselage open (showing the telescope). This made it possible to capture the infrared emission from various celestial objects during its operational life of about eight years.
As reported by the Boeing 747SP took off today from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Palmdale to reach Tucson. L’last flight, lasting just over two hours, concluded successfully by delivering this piece of aviation history into safe hands along with over 400 airplanes. Also in the same museum is for example the Super Guppy that carried the components of the Saturn V rocket for the Apollo missions, for example.
Paul Hertz (from NASA) he stated “The SOFIA mission has the powerful potential to inspire, from its discoveries about the unknown in our Universe, to the engineering achievements that broke new ground, to the international cooperation that made it all possible. We are thrilled that SOFIA will continue to engage a new generation diverse group of scientists, engineers and explorers”.
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