Title: SOFIA – Science Operations of an Airborne Observatory


Author: Thomas Keilig

Deutsches SOFIA Institut (DSI)
University of Stuttgart
Pfaffenwaldring 29, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany

keilig@dsi.uni-stuttgart.de



Abstract:

SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) is a highly modified Boeing 747SP aircraft 
with a 2.7m telescope flying as high as 45,000 ft in the stratosphere above 99 percent of the 
precipitable water vapor.
Jointly developed and operated by NASA (USA) and DLR (Germany) SOFIA is dedicated to infrared astronomy 
for the next 20 years and opens a new window into the warm and cold universe. After Herschel ran out of 
cryogens, SOFIA will be the premier FIR-facility for many years to come.
SOFIA is a professional astronomical airborne observatory uniquely positioned between space and ground, 
featuring special aspects for science observations which are found nowhere else. Access to large parts 
of the otherwise blocked infrared spectrum is enabled. A target visibility tool is used to detail the 
permissible target elevations, the flight path and flight times for each night.
Astronomical observations started in 2011, delivering a number of exciting results and discoveries, 
both in mid-infrared imaging (5-40µm) and in far-infrared (THz) heterodyne high-resolution spectroscopy 
(recently published in special issues of Astrophys. Journal Letters and Astron. & Astrophys, respectively).
In July 2013 SOFIA will deploy to New Zealand for three weeks to observe major targets in the southern 
hemisphere at THz frequencies, including the Galactic Center region and the Magellanic Clouds.
In this talk, the main design characteristics of the flying observatory and its 2.7m telescope will 
be presented, as well as key operational processes and a few science highlights.