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What does NASA SOFIA stand for?
Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy
SOFIA, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, is a Boeing 747SP aircraft modified to carry a 2.7-meter (106-inch) reflecting telescope (with an effective diameter of 2.5 meters or 100 inches).
How much does the SOFIA telescope Cost?
NASA has sold that versatility as one of the big advantages of SOFIA, but it likely accounts for some of the telescope’s hefty $85 million annual price tag, too. Simply put, “It is the second-most-expensive astrophysics mission that NASA operates, behind only the Hubble Space Telescope,” Nature reports.
Why is it important for SOFIA to be above the atmosphere rather than on the ground like most telescopes?
SOFIA’s flight capability allows it to rise above almost all of the water vapor in the Earth’s atmosphere, which blocks some infrared wavelengths from reaching the ground.
What is the name of the flying telescope in space?
The Hubble Space Telescope is a large telescope in space.
Who built the SOFIA Telescope?
NASA
NASA, Universities Space Research Association (USRA) and the German Aerospace Center, DLR, are working together to develop SOFIA, a 2.5-meter infrared telescope mounted in a modified Boeing 747SP aircraft.
What kind of name is SOFIA?
Sophia, also spelled Sofia, is a feminine given name, from Greek Σοφία, Sophía, “Wisdom”. Diminutive forms include Sophie and Sofie. The given name is first recorded in the beginning of the 4th century. It is a common female name in the Eastern Orthodox countries.
What did Sofia discover on the moon?
NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) has confirmed, for the first time, water on the sunlit surface of the Moon. This discovery indicates that water may be distributed across the lunar surface, and not limited to cold, shadowed places.
Where was the Sofia Telescope built?
SOFIA is a joint program by NASA and DLR Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt (German Aerospace Center). Major aircraft modifications and installation of the telescope has been carried out at L-3 Communications Integrated Systems facility at Waco, Texas.
Where is NASA SOFIA?
The SOFIA Program Office is at NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., which manages SOFIA’s science and mission operations in cooperation with the Universities Space Research Association (USRA; Columbia, Md.)
What did SOFIA discover on the moon?
What is the SOFIA telescope?
SOFIA features a German-built 100-inch (2.5 meter) diameter far-infrared telescope weighing 20 tons mounted in the rear fuselage of a highly modified Boeing 747SP aircraft. It is one of the premier space science programs of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.
Where does NASA’s Sofia fly?
For most of the year SOFIA operates from California, but it also makes trips to New Zealand for Southern Hemisphere stargazing, as well as to Germany, whose space agency developed three of the platform’s eight instruments. Related: Now You Can 3D-Print a NASA SOFIA Flying Telescope of Your Very Own!
What makes Sofia unique?
Another unique characteristic of SOFIA is its range. Some telescopes specialize in a few particular colors of infrared light. Others, like the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope, are powerful but narrowly focused on a small spot of space. SOFIA, however, can do it all.
Why is the SOFIA telescope called the Vampire jet?
Because SOFIA only performs observation missions at night, it’s often called the Vampire Jet. The telescope doesn’t gather valuable data in daylight. Also, exposing the telescope to direct sunlight would destroy its optics and create a fire hazard.