KEYWORDS: Telescopes, Mirrors, Observatories, Space telescopes, Coating, Control systems design, Infrared astronomy, Astronomical telescopes, Infrared radiation, Imaging systems
The Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy, SOFIA is a unique aircraft with the telescope optics exposed to
extreme environment in the open port of a Boeing 747SP. The aircraft with the integrated telescope was transferred last
year to the NASA Dryden Flight research Center in California and, in December 2007 successfully completed its first
closed door test flight with the telescope systems in operation. The first open door flights are planned in the second half
2008, the first early science flights are to follow in spring 2009. The telescope is equipped with several design features,
such as a vibration isolation system, a flexible body control system and - potentially - active mass dampers, to handle
excitations in different frequency ranges.
We present a progress report and describe the recent achievements as well as the status of the telescope. We also provide
an update of the SOFIA pointing system, and the planned in-flight tests.
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