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SOFIA landing in French Polynesia – SOFIA: Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy [1]

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Date: 2021-08-17  

About SOFIA

SOFIA, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, was 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). Flying into the stratosphere at 38,000-45,000 feet put SOFIA above 99 percent of Earth’s infrared-blocking atmosphere, allowing astronomers to study the solar system and beyond in ways that are not possible with ground-based telescopes. SOFIA was a joint project of NASA and the German Space Agency at DLR.

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[1] Url: https://blogs.nasa.gov/sofia/2021/08/17/sofia-to-return-from-french-polynesia-deployment/img_3234-robert_simon/

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