June 20 , 2015 SOFIA Begins 2015 Southern Hemisphere Science FlightsNASA ' s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy , SOFIA , departed from Christchurch , New Zealand at 6 : 20 pm local time June 19 for the first of 15 planned Southern Hemisphere deployment science flights . For the next five weeks SOFIA will operate from the U . S . National Science Foundation ’ s Antarctic Program facility at Christchurch International Airport . Flying out of New Zealand enables SOFIA to study celestial objects that are more easily observed , or can only be observed , from southern latitudes . " SOFIA ' s 2013 deployment to New Zealand and the resulting observations were of great scientific value , " said Eddie Zavala , SOFIA program manager . " Our research staff and guest investigators have been looking forward to building on that success with our return to the Southern Hemisphere this month . " During this deployment , five cameras and spectrographs will be used : the Faint Object infraRed CAmera for the SOFIA Telescope ( FORCAST ) and the German REceiver for Astronomy at Terahertz Frequencies ( GREAT ) for a total of 15 flights , plus the First Light Infrared TEst CAMera ( FLITECAM ) , the High Speed Imaging Photometer for Occultations ( HIPO ) , and the Focal Plane Imager ( FPI ) in ensemble during one flight to observe a stellar occultation by Pluto . " Many of the observations planned for this deployment are aimed at studying the formation of massive stars , ” said Pamela Marcum , SOFIA ’ s Project Scientist . “ Massive protostars are rare , so even the nearest examples are more than a thousand light years away . SOFIA ’ s large telescope enables astronomers to resolve distant groups of such stars , allowing uniquely detailed observations of them and the material that surrounds them . ” “ We are also interested in the other end of the stellar life cycle , ” noted Dana Backman , astronomer and manager of SOFIA ’ s Outreach programs . “ During late stages , many stars develop intense winds , ejecting large amounts of their material into surrounding space . As those winds cool , some of the gas condenses into dust particles . The gas and dust are recycled into the interstellar medium , adding to the raw material for subsequent generations of stars and planets . Researchers want a more complete understanding of how that all happens . ” Observing from the Southern Hemisphere also enables SOFIA to view the Magellanic Clouds , two satellite galaxies of the Milky Way Galaxy that have had fewer generations of stars , and therefore contain smaller proportions of heavy elements , than our own galaxy . Comparing star formation and stellar evolution in the Magellanic Clouds versus the Milky Way can help refine an understanding of how the earliest generations of stars in the Universe formed from gas containing little or no heavy elements . FLIPO and the FPI are expected to observe Pluto as it passes in front of a background star on June 29 . That occultation event is fortuitously soon before the New Horizons spacecraft ’ s closest approach to Pluto on July 14 . The near - coincidence of observations by SOFIA and New Horizons could provide investigators with a singular opportunity to link the fly - by spacecraft ’ s “ snap shot ” measurements with an ongoing Earth - based research program monitoring long - term changes in Pluto ’ s atmosphere . SOFIA is scheduled to return to the United States on July 24 . SOFIA is a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center . The aircraft is based at NASA ' s Armstrong Flight Research Center facility in Palmdale , California . NASA ’ s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field , California is home to the SOFIA Science Center that is managed by NASA in cooperation with the Universities Space Research Association headquartered in Columbia , Maryland , and the German SOFIA Institute at the University of Stuttgart . For a media kit with information about SOFIA ’ s Southern Hemisphere deployment , visit : http : / / www . sofia . usra . edu / News / media / NZ / NZ 2015 . htmlFor more information about SOFIA , visit :   http : / / www . nasa . gov / sofia • http : / / www . dlr . de / en / sofiaFor information about SOFIA ' s science mission , visit :   http : / / www . sofia . usra . edu • http : / / www . dsi . uni - stuttgart . de / index . en . htmlRead the DLR news release ( in English ) regarding the deployment at : http : / / www . dlr . de / dlr / en / desktopdefault . aspx / tabid - 10212 / 332 _ read - 13949 / year - all / #/ gallery / 19764 Nicholas A . Veronico   SOFIA Science Center , NASA Ames Research Center , Moffett Field , Calif .   650 - 604 - 4589 / 650 - 224 - 8726   nicholas . a . veronico @ nasa . gov / nveronico @ sofia . usra . eduKate K . Squires   Armstrong Flight Research Center , Edwards , Calif .   661 - 276 - 2020   kate . k . squires @ nasa . govNASA / SOFIA / USRA / ASP / N . VeronicoLast Updated : June 20 , 2015 Editor : Leslie ProudfitTags : Ames Research Center , Armstrong Flight Research Center , SOFIA , SOFIA June 20 , 2015 Maori Ceremony for SOFIAMaori elder Aroha Reriti - Crofts ( center ) reading a traditional blessing ceremony for SOFIA and all who fly on her . ( NASA / SOFIA / USRA / G . Perryman ) Last Updated : June 20 , 2015 Editor : Leslie ProudfitTags : Ames Research Center , Armstrong Flight Research Center , SOFIA , SOFIA June 20 , 2015 Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on google _ plusone _ share Share on pinterest _ share More Sharing Services SOFIA Media TourRepresentatives of New Zealand media onboard SOFIA during a tour , hearing NASA SOFIA Mission Manager Ed Harmon ( back , left ) and DLR SOFIA Project Engineer Heinz Hammes ( back , right ) explain the FORCAST instrument and the telescope instrument mount . ' USAP ' on the red safety vests stands for U . S . Antarctic Program . ( NASA / SOFIA / USRA / ASP / N . Veronico ) Last Updated : June 20 , 2015 Editor : Leslie ProudfitTags : Ames Research Center , Armstrong Flight Research Center , SOFIA , SOFIA June 20 , 2015 SOFIA at NightNight shot of SOFIA , with terminals and control tower of Christchurch International Airport in the background . ( NASA / SOFIA / USRA / G . Perryman ) Last Updated : June 20 , 2015 Editor : Leslie ProudfitTags : Ames Research Center , Armstrong Flight Research Center , SOFIA , SOFIA June 16 , 2015 SOFIA Arrives in New Zealand for Six - week Science DeploymentBack to Gallery SOFIA receiving a water - arch salute from the Christchurch International Airport fire brigade after landing in New Zealand ( 1 : 55 pm local time June 14 , 2015 ; 9 : 55 pm June 13 EDT ) to begin a 6 - week deployment for Southern Hemisphere science flights . ( NASA / SOFIA / USRA / G . Perryman ) Last Updated : June 20 , 2015 Editor : Leslie ProudfitTags : Ames Research Center , Armstrong Flight Research Center , SOFIA , SOFIA Feb . 25 , 2015 Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on google _ plusone _ share Share on pinterest _ share More Sharing Services NASA Educator Professional Development Program Will Fly Again in 2015 Working to expand professional development opportunities for science educators across the United States , NASA ' s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy program , known as SOFIA , has selected 14 two - person teams for its 2015 Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors . The flying observatory is a highly modified Boeing 747 SP jetliner carrying a 100 - inch ( 2 . 5 - meter ) effective diameter telescope . Fitted with instruments that collect data at infrared wavelengths , SOFIA flies at altitudes between 39 , 000 and 45 , 000 feet ( 12 - 14 kilometers ) on 10 - hour overnight science missions . Each educator team will complete a graduate credit astronomy course and then will be paired with a team of professional astronomers conducting science flights aboard SOFIA . After their flight experiences , ambassadors take what they ' ve learned from the program into their classroom and communities to relate the scientific discovery process and its value to society . " The Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors program gives science educators a unique opportunity to interact with all facets of a NASA science mission , " said John Gagosian , SOFIA Program Executive at NASA Headquarters in Washington . " Not only are these educators witnessing scientific research first - hand , they ' re seeing the wide range of professional and technical expertise needed to support that research , from engineering to technology to mathematics . This program shows educators the excitement of frontier science , and it shows students the multitude of career paths within NASA ' s programs . " The 28 Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors selected for 2015 come from 12 states plus the District of Columbia . Six of the states ( Georgia , Indiana , Maine , Massachusetts , New Mexico and Oklahoma ) as well as the District of Columbia are new to the program . Educators selected for the 2015 cohort of this highly competitive , professional development program are : · Adrienne Hestenes and Janet Mambrino , Xavier College Preparatory High School , Phoenix , Arizona · Richard Krueger , Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy , and Samantha Thompson , Lowell Observatory , Flagstaff , Arizona · Kevin Tambara , Bert Lynn Middle School , Torrance , California , and Sandra Trevino , Air Force Association / Girls Scouts , Sierra Vista , Arizona · Dan Burns , Los Gatos High School , and David Marasco , Foothill College , Los Altos , California · Monique Perez and Jeri Sloane , Palmdale Learning Plaza , Palmdale , California · Susan Oltman , Kittredge Magnet School , and April Whitt , Fernbank Science Center , Atlanta , Georgia · Kevin McCarron , Oak Park and River Forest High School , Oak Park , Illinois , and Chuck Ruehle , Astronomers Without Borders , Racine , Wisconsin · Troy Cockrum , St . Therese Little Flower Catholic School , and Jeff Peterson , Center Grove Middle School North , Indianapolis , Indiana · Brian Gonyar and Lauree Gott , Veazie Community School , Veazie , Maine · Howard Fain and Stacy Lord , Worcester East Middle School , Worcester , Massachusetts · Virginia ( Ginger ) DeVillers , West Michigan Flight Academy , Jenison , Michigan , and Lisa Wininger , Plainwell Middle School , Plainwell , Michigan · Jeffery Killebrew , New Mexico School for the Blind , and Michael Shinabery , New Mexico Museum of Space History , Alamogordo , New Mexico · Melissa Aguirre , JHS 217 Robert A . Van Wyck School , Jamaica , New York , and Jacqueline Fernandez - Romero , The Latin American Youth Center Career Academy , Washington , D . C . · David Davisson , Longfellow Middle School , and Eileen Grzybowski , Norman North High School , Norman , OklahomaThe 2015 group of Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors joins 55 educators from 23 states who have participated in the program during the past four years . SOFIA is a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center ( DLR ) . The observatory is based at NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center ' s facility in Palmdale , California , and NASA ' s Ames Research Center is home to the SOFIA Science Center , which is managed in cooperation with the Universities Space Research Association ( USRA ) headquartered in Columbia , Maryland , and the German SOFIA Institute ( DSI ) at the University of Stuttgart . SOFIA ' s education and public outreach programs are managed by the SETI Institute in Mountain View , California , and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific in San Francisco . For images of the selected educators , visit : http : / / www . sofia . usra . edu / News / news _ 2015 / 02 _ 26 _ 15 / index . htmlFor more information about SOFIA , visit : http : / / www . nasa . gov / sofia • http : / / www . dlr . de / en / sofiaFor information about SOFIA ' s science mission and scientific instruments , visit : http : / / www . sofia . usra . edu • http : / / www . dsi . uni - stuttgart . de / index . en . htmlNicholas A . VeronicoSOFIA Science Center , Moffett Field , California 650 - 604 - 4589 / 650 - 224 - 8726 - cellnicholas . a . veronico @ nasa . gov / nveronico @ sofia . usra . eduKate K . SquiresArmstrong Flight Research Center , Edwards , California 661 - 276 - 2020 kate . k . squires @ nasa . govLast Updated : June 20 , 2015 Editor : Jessica CullerTags : Ames Research Center , Armstrong Flight Research Center , SOFIA , Read Full Article SOFIA Jan . 13 , 2015 NASA ' s Airborne Observatory Begins 2015 Science CampaignThe Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy , or SOFIA , Program began its third season of science flights on Jan . 13 , 2015 . SOFIA is NASA ' s next generation flying observatory and is fitted with a 2 . 5 - meter ( 100 - inch ) diameter telescope that studies the universe at infrared wavelengths . " Last night ' s flight used the German Receiver for Astronomy at Terahertz Frequencies ( GREAT ) spectrometer to study the chemical composition and motions of gas in a star - forming region , a young star , and a supernova remnant , " said Pamela Marcum , NASA ' s SOFIA project scientist . " Observing at infrared wavelengths enables us to see through interstellar dust to record the spectral signatures of molecules in these regions . From this we can study the abundances of molecules and their formation process . " Water vapor in the Earth ' s atmosphere absorbs infrared radiation , preventing a large section of the infrared spectrum from reaching ground - based observatories . SOFIA is a heavily modified Boeing 747 Special Performance jetliner that flies at altitudes between 39 , 000 to 45 , 000 feet ( 12 to 14 km ) , above more than 99 percent of Earth ' s atmospheric water vapor giving astronomers the ability to study celestial objects at wavelengths that cannot be seen from ground - based observatories . " The flights in January will conclude SOFIA ' s second annual observing series , known as Cycle 2 , and the observatory will begin the Cycle 3 programs in March , " said Erick Young , SOFIA ' s observatory director and a member of the Universities Space Research Association ( USRA ) team that operates the SOFIA Science Center at NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field , California . " Plans for Cycle 3 include 70 flights with more than 400 hours of science observations . The observations will span a broad range of astronomical topics including the interstellar medium , star formation , stars , bodies in our solar system , and extrasolar planets . " The observatory is expected to make a deployment to the Southern Hemisphere in June 2015 , with science flights based out of Christchurch , New Zealand . There scientists will have the opportunity to observe areas of interest such as the Galactic Center and other parts of the Milky Way that are not visible from the Northern Hemisphere . SOFIA is a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center ( DLR ) . The aircraft is based at and the program is managed from NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center ' s facility in Palmdale , California . NASA ' s Ames Research Center , manages the SOFIA science and mission operations in cooperation with the Universities Space Research Association ( USRA ) headquartered in Columbia , Maryland , and the German SOFIA Institute ( DSI ) at the University of Stuttgart . For more information about SOFIA , visit :   http : / / www . nasa . gov / sofia • http : / / www . dlr . de / en / sofiaFor information about SOFIA ' s science mission , visit :   http : / / www . sofia . usra . edu • http : / / www . dsi . uni - stuttgart . de / index . en . htmlFelicia Chou   Headquarters , Washington 202 - 358 - 5241   felicia . chou @ nasa . govNicholas A . Veronico   SOFIA Science Center , Moffett Field , California   650 - 604 - 4589 / 650 - 224 - 8726 nicholas . a . veronico @ nasa . govnveronico @ sofia . usra . eduLast Updated : June 20 , 2015 Editor : Monroe ConnerTags : Ames Research Center , Armstrong Flight Research Center , SOFIA , Read Full Article NASA Armstrong July 12 , 2014 Outer Space to Inner Space : SOFIA Inside Lufthansa Technik HangarNASA ' s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy ( SOFIA ) is shown inside the Lufthansa Technik hangar in Hamburg , Germany where it is beginning its decadal inspection . Flight , aircraft maintenance and science personnel from NASA ' s Armstrong and Ames research centers are working alongside Lufthansa ' s 747 SP specialists to perform a wide range of inspections and major maintenance over the next few months , while specialists from the German SOFIA Institute ( DSI ) will perform upgrades to the flying observatory ' s infrared telescope . Image credit : NASA / Jeff Doughty › Learn moreLast Updated : June 20 , 2015 Editor : Yvonne GibbsTags : Ames Research Center , Armstrong Flight Research Center , SOFIA , Read Full Article SOFIA July 11 , 2014 Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on google _ plusone _ share Share on pinterest _ share More Sharing Services SOFIA in Lufthansa Technik HangarNASA ' s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy ( SOFIA ) is shown inside the cavernous Lufthansa Technik hangar in Hamburg , Germany where it was scheduled to undergo major inspections and maintenance over a four - month period . The work , being performed by Lufthansa Technik specialists along with NASA personnel , is being funded by the German Aerospace Agency as part of its 20 percent contribution to the SOFIA program . June 30 , 2014 Image Credit : NASA / Jeff DoughtyLast Updated : June 20 , 2015 Editor : Jaimie BaccusTags : Ames Research Center , Armstrong Flight Research Center , SOFIA , Read Full Article June 19 , 2014 14 - 17 Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on google _ plusone _ share Share on pinterest _ share More Sharing Services College Students Study Earth From NASA ' s DC - 8 Flying LabThirty - two undergraduate students from a like number of colleges and universities are participating in an eight - week NASA Airborne Science Program field experience designed to immerse them in the agency ' s Earth Science research . Jonathan Hemingway , an applied meteorology and computational mathematics major at Embry - Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida , assists in installation of the Whole Air Sampler instrument on NASA ' s DC - 8 flying laboratory . Josette Marrero , a Ph . D . candidate in the Rowland - Blake Lab at UC Irvine , explains the installation of the Whole Air Sampler on board NASA ' s DC - 8 to Student Airborne Research Program participants . Caleb Sykora - Bodie , an environmental geoscience and geography major at Slippery Rock University , connects lines during installation of the Whole Air Sampler instrument for the SARP flights . Krystal Vasquez , a chemistry major at the University of California , Riverside , assists in the installation of the Whole Air Sampler instrument on NASA ' s DC - 8 flying laboratory . Flying aboard NASA ’ s DC - 8 airborne laboratory , students will measure pollution , aerosols ( small particles suspended in the atmosphere ) and air quality in the Los Angeles basin and California ’ s central valley . They will also use remote sensing instruments to study forest ecology in the Sierra Nevada and ocean biology along the California coast . Now in its sixth year , NASA ' s Student Airborne Research Program ( SARP ) provides a unique opportunity for undergraduate students majoring in the sciences , mathematics and engineering to participate in all aspects of a NASA Airborne Science research campaign . SARP participants are given a rare behind - the - scenes look at the instrument installation , flight planning and scientific data collection that is the basis of every successful NASA Earth Science airborne campaign . These campaigns play a pivotal role in the acquisition of process - oriented knowledge about the Earth system , as well as calibration of NASA ' s space - borne Earth observation instruments , validation of remote sensing measurements and high - resolution imagery for Earth system science . SARP began June 16 at NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center ' s facility in Palmdale , California , with lectures by university faculty members , NASA scientists and NASA program managers . The students will then be aboard the DC - 8 on five flights during the week of June 23 . They will acquire multi - spectral images of kelp beds in the Santa Barbara Channel and of forests in the Sierra Nevada . In addition , the students will fly over dairies and oil fields in the San Joaquin Valley , parts of the Los Angeles basin and the Salton Sea at altitudes as low as 1 , 000 feet in order to collect air samples , measure aerosols and air quality . During the final flight , half of the students will be in the field taking ground validation or complementary measurements while the DC - 8 flies overhead . The final six weeks of the program will take place at the University of California , Irvine where students will analyze and interpret the data they collected from science instruments on the aircraft . At the conclusion of the program , the students will each deliver final presentations about their results and conclusions in front of an audience of NASA scientists and administrators , university faculty members and their fellow SARP students . In past summers , many students have gone on to present their SARP research projects at national conferences . Students participating in the 2014 SARP represent 32 different colleges and universities from across the United States . They were competitively selected based on their outstanding academic performance , future career plans and interest in the Earth System Science . The Student Airborne Research Program is one of NASA ' s tools to expose future scientists to the Earth Science missions that support environmental studies and the testing and development of new instruments and future satellite mission concepts . The program ' s goal is to stimulate interest in NASA ' s Earth Science research and aid in the recruitment and training of the next generation of scientists and engineers , many of whom will be getting their first hands - on research experience during this program . NASA monitors Earth ' s vital signs from land , air and space with a fleet of satellites and ambitious airborne and ground - based observation campaigns . NASA develops new ways to observe and study Earth ' s interconnected natural systems with long - term data records and computer analysis tools to better see how our planet is changing . The agency shares this unique knowledge with the global community and works with institutions in the United States and around the world that contribute to understanding and protecting our home planet . SARP is managed by NASA ' s Ames Research Center at Moffett Field , California , through the National Suborbital Education and Research Center ( NSERC ) at the University of North Dakota . As part of the Ames Cooperative for Research in Earth Science and Technology , NSERC receives funding and support from NASA ’ s Earth Science Division . For additional information about SARP , visit : http : / / www . nserc . und . edu / sarpView video about the 2013 SARP experience : https : / / www . youtube . com / watch ? v = vjRYmVKbqSwFor more about NASA ' s Earth science activities in 2014 , visit : http : / / www . nasa . gov / earthrightnowFor more on NASA ' s Airborne Science Program , visit : http : / / airbornescience . nasa . govFor additional information about NASA ' s DC - 8 , visit : http : / / airbornescience . nasa . gov / aircraft / DC - 8 NASA / NSERC photos by Jane PetersonEmily Schaller , Science and Education CoordinatorNational Suborbital Education and Research Center 701 - 317 - 0789 e . schaller @ nserc . und . eduRachel HooverNASA Ames Research Center , Moffett Field , Callif . 650 - 604 - 4789 rachel . hoover @ nasa . govAlan BrownArmstrong Flight Research Center 661 - 276 - 2665 alan . brown @ nasa . govLast Updated : June 20 , 2015 Editor : Monroe ConnerTags : Ames Research Center , Armstrong Flight Research Center , Earth , Read Full Article June 3 , 201414 - 150 NASA Begins Testing of New Spectrograph on Agency ' s Airborne ObservatoryAstronomers are eagerly waiting to begin use of a new instrument to study celestial objects : a high - resolution , mid - infrared spectrograph mounted on NASA ' s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy ( SOFIA ) , the world ' s largest flying telescope . This new instrument , the Echelon - Cross - Echelle Spectrograph ( EXES ) , can separate wavelengths of light to a precision of one part in 100 , 000 . At the core of EXES is an approximately 3 - foot ( 1 meter ) bar of aluminum called an echelon grating , carefully machined to act as 130 separate mirrors that split light from the telescope into an infrared " rainbow . " SOFIA is a heavily modified Boeing 747 Special Performance jetliner that carries a telescope with an effective diameter of about 8 - feet ( 2 . 5 - meters ) at altitudes of 39 , 000 to 45 , 000 feet ( 12 to 14 km ) , above more than 99 percent of Earth ' s atmospheric water vapor . Lower in the atmosphere , at altitudes associated with most ground - based observatories , water vapor obscures much of what can be learned when viewed in the infrared spectrum . " The combination of EXES ' s high spectral resolution and SOFIA ' s access to infrared radiation from space provides an unprecedented ability to study celestial objects at wavelengths unavailable from ground - based telescopes , " said Pamela Marcum , a program scientist at the SOFIA Science Center and Program Office in Moffett Field , California . " EXES on SOFIA will provide data that cannot be obtained by any other astronomical facility on the ground or in space , including all past , present or those observatories now under development . " EXES successfully carried out its first two flights on SOFIA on the nights of April 7 and 9 , according to Matthew Richter , leader of the team that is developing the instrument at the University of California , Davis , Physics Department . EXES is a collaboration between U . C . Davis and NASA ' s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field . " During the two flights , EXES made observations to investigate and characterize the instrument ' s performance . All the main goals of these observations were successful , although further commissioning flights are required to test EXES in all of its modes , " said Richter . On the first commissioning flight , EXES observed emissions from Jupiter ' s atmosphere in two molecular hydrogen lines . These observations will be used to understand how gas rises from deep in Jupiter ' s interior and mixes into the planet ' s upper atmosphere . During the second commissioning flight , EXES observed a young , massive star in the constellation Cygnus that is still embedded in its natal cocoon . The star , known as AFGL 2591 , warms up the surrounding interstellar dust and causes ice coatings on the dust to evaporate . The warmed dust provides an excellent background infrared " lamp " to probe the chemical make - up of the intervening gas . New stars and planets are forming from that material through processes similar to the ones that made the sun and Earth . These observations are designed to study water vapor around the protostar , and demonstrate that EXES can detect absorption from the lowest energy level of water molecules despite interference from water vapor from Earth ' s atmosphere . " Of the observations obtained during the instrument ' s first flights , only one can be done from the ground , albeit with some difficulty , and the others are impossible from even the best ground - based telescope sites because the water in Earth ' s atmosphere is opaque at these wavelengths , " Richter said . " While space observatories are above Earth ' s atmosphere , the massive optical equipment required to separate the light as finely as EXES does – EXES weighs almost 1 , 000 pounds – would be a challenge to launch into space . In these observations , the spectral features we are studying are narrow , and finely dividing the infrared spectrum to detect them is exactly what EXES was designed to do . " SOFIA is a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center ( DLR ) . The aircraft is based at and the program is managed from NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center ' s facility in Palmdale , California . NASA ' s Ames Research Center , manages the SOFIA science and mission operations in cooperation with the Universities Space Research Association ( USRA ) headquartered in Columbia , Maryland , and the German SOFIA Institute ( DSI ) at the University of Stuttgart . For more information about SOFIA , visit : http : / / www . nasa . gov / sofiaorhttp : / / www . dlr . de / en / sofiaFor information about SOFIA ' s science mission , visit : http : / / www . sofia . usra . eduorhttp : / / www . dsi . uni - stuttgart . de / index . en . htmlend J . D . HarringtonHeadquarters , Washington 202 - 358 - 5241 j . d . harrington @ nasa . govNicholas A . VeronicoSOFIA Science Center and Program Office , Moffett Field , Calif . 650 - 604 - 4589 nicholas . a . veronico @ nasa . govLast Updated : June 20 , 2015 Editor : Karen NorthonTags : Ames Research Center , Armstrong Flight Research Center , SOFIA , Read Full Article NASA Armstrong June 3 , 2014 NASA Declares SOFIA Observatory Fully OperationalThe door to the SOFIA observatory ' s 2 . 5 - meter telescope is wide open during a developmental test flight in 2010 Credits : NASA / Jim RossOn June 2 , 2014 , during the 224 th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Boston , Massachusetts , Paul Hertz , NASA ' s Astrophysics Division director , announced that the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy ( SOFIA ) has passed its Key Decision Point E ( KDP - E ) and been transitioned into the operational phase . " We have now formally completed the development phase of SOFIA and declared the observatory operational . That ' s the equivalent of a launch for a space mission , " said Hertz . The technical criteria for SOFIA ' s transition to its operational phase were met in February 2014 , and NASA ' s formal review was completed on May 29 . Prior to the KDP - E declaration last week , SOFIA demonstrated an impressive rate of science operations in April / May by flying 14 flights , encompassing more than 100 successful science mission hours , in 30 days . In parallel with the mission milestone , commissioning flights for the observatory ' s fifth instrument , the Field - Imaging Far - Infrared Line Spectrometer ( FIFI - LS ) , were completed in April , and flights to commission SOFIA ' s sixth instrument , the Echelon - Cross Echelle Spectrograph ( EXES ) , began later that month . As commissioning work continues with EXES , a pair of second - generation instruments / instrument upgrades continue development . An American - built instrument , the High - resolution Airborne Wideband Camera - Plus ( HAWC +), a far - infrared camera with polarized light detection capabilities that began development at the University of Chicago , is nearing completion at NASA ' s Jet Propulsion Laboratory , Pasadena , California . A set of enhancements , dubbed " upGREAT " to the German Receiver for Astronomy at Terahertz Frequencies ( GREAT ) spectrometer , will further enhance that instrument ' s already impressive performance . SOFIA is a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center ( DLR ) . The aircraft is based at the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center ’ s facility in Palmdale , California . NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center manages the program . NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field , California , manages the SOFIA science and mission operations in cooperation with the Universities Space Research Association ( USRA ) headquartered in Columbia , Maryland , and the German SOFIA Institute ( DSI ) at the University of Stuttgart . Nicholas A . Veronico , Public AffairsSOFIA Science CenterLast Updated : June 20 , 2015 Editor : Monroe ConnerTags : Armstrong Flight Research Center , SOFIA , Read Full Article NASA Armstrong May 13 , 2014 SOFIA ' s Instrument Suite Gains New FIFI - LS SpectrometerThe Becklin - Neugebauer object , the Trapezium stars and the Orion Bar in the Orion Nebula are at left in a Spitzer space telescope image , and at right in infrared images recorded by the FIFI - LS spectrometer on the SOFIA observatory . The red contours indicate the position of the FIFI - LS mosaics . Credits : NASAThe scientific capabilities of NASA ’ s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy ( SOFIA ) were increased substantially on April 15 , 2014 , with completion of commissioning tests and the first scientific observations made by the Field - Imaging Far - Infrared Line Spectrometer , or FIFI - LS . Alfred Krabbe from the Institute of Space Systems , University of Stuttgart , Germany , led the team that developed FIFI - LS . The University of Stuttgart is home to the German SOFIA Institute ( DSI ) that coordinates the German portion of SOFIA ’ s scientific operations on behalf of NASA and the German Aerospace Center ( DLR ) . Krabbe ' s team delivered FIFI - LS in November 2013 to the observatory ' s home base at the Armstrong Flight Research Center ' s scientific aircraft operations facility in Palmdale , California . During the following months , the team made final adjustments and completed ground testing before the instrument took to the skies on board SOFIA beginning in March . FIFI - LS was first used to study the Orion Nebula , a massive star - forming region located 1 , 300 light years from Earth . The dense gas within that nebula is condensing to form hundreds of stars including the Becklin - Neugebauer ( BN ) object , an especially luminous protostar . FIFI - LS Team members Rainer Hönle , Alfred Krabbe , and Sarah Ragan are obviously satisfied viewing the first scientific data provided by FIFI - LS . Credits : DSI photoFor stars to form , relatively warm gas in the nebula must cool from about 100 degrees K ( minus 280 degrees F ) to about 10 degrees Kelvin ( minus 440 degrees F ) . only then does the pressure inside the cloud decrease and the gas density increase sufficiently to allow the star formation process to commence . Atoms of elements such as oxygen and carbon can drive this cooling process by radiating thermal energy from inside the cloud toward the outside . FIFI - LS co - developer and the Orion observations principal investigator Leslie Looney from the University of Illinois is studying the BN region to learn more about how these cooling processes work . “ Oxygen and carbon emit a considerable amount of the cloud ’ s thermal energy at wavelengths which can be observed using FIFI - LS on SOFIA , ” Looney said . SOFIA is currently the only ground - or space - based observatory that can receive cosmic radiation at these far - infrared wavelengths . In competition with that cooling process , a cluster of four hot stars in the Orion Nebula , known as the Trapezium , heat the gas cloud . When heated gas collides with cooler gas , a shock wave such as the Orion Bar can occur , as indicated in the graphic above . From the strength and spatial distribution of emission from neutral oxygen ( OI – observed at 63 and 145 microns ) and singly ionized carbon ( CII – observed at 157 microns ) , astronomer Looney can investigate the detailed relation between the nebular cooling and heating mechanisms . “ An outstanding aspect of the FIFI - LS data is the size of the map at this fine resolution , ” he noted . “ I am really happy that FIFI - LS worked so well with the SOFIA observatory and that we can now provide a new scientific instrument to the astronomical community , " said astronomer and instrument builder Krabbe . " For the next observing cycle that will start in spring 2015 , the team plans to make additional observations of Orion in order to complete the existing maps . " SOFIA is a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center ( DLR ) . The aircraft is based at NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center ’ s facility in Palmdale , California , and NASA Armstrong manages the program . NASA ' s Ames Research Center at Moffett Field , California , manages the SOFIA science and mission operations in cooperation with the Universities Space Research Association ( USRA ) headquartered in Columbia , Maryland , and the German SOFIA Institute ( DSI ) at the University of Stuttgart . For more information about SOFIA , visithttp : / / www . nasa . gov / sofia • http : / / www . dlr . de / en / sofiaFor information about SOFIA ' s science mission , visit : http : / / www . sofia . usra . edu • http : / / www . dsi . uni - stuttgart . de / index . en . htmlThe FIFI - LS team together with U . S . colleagues who were involved in the final ground and flight tests of the FIFI - LS instrument gather in front of NASA ' s SOFIA flying observatory after completion of commissioning tests . Credits : NASA / Tom TschidaDorte MehlertDeutsches SOFIA InstitutUniversity of Stuttgart , GermanyLast Updated : June 20 , 2015 Editor : Yvonne GibbsTags : Armstrong Flight Research Center , SOFIA , Read Full Article NASA Armstrong April 18 , 2014 NASA SOFIA Program Seeks Partnerships at Industry DayThe Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy , or SOFIA , program hosted an industry day April 11 to seek partners for the world ' s largest flying infrared astronomical observatory . Conducted at the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center ' s Building 703 in Palmdale , Calif . , presentations focused on the flying observatory ' s capabilities and how industry can partner with NASA for observations . The day also included tours of the science labs and the NASA 747 SP that houses SOFIA ' s German - made telescope . " The President ’ s fiscal year 2015 budget request to Congress proposes to greatly reduce funding for SOFIA , " said Paul Hertz , NASA ' s Director of Astrophysics in explaining the Industry Day objectives . " Unless partners are able to support the U . S . portion of SOFIA costs , there will be inadequate funding to continue SOFIA operations and NASA would place the aircraft into storage by FY 2015 . " SOFIA program manager Eddie Zavala discusses the flying observatory ' s capabilities with USRA legislative affairs representative Kevin Schmadel at an industry day aimed at building partnerships between NASA and industry to conduct astronomical science missions . Credits : NASA / Jay Levine " NASA is now in the process of seeking out potential partners interested in joining the NASA / DLR team and contribute to the continued operation of SOFIA beyond the current fiscal year , " he added . " The SOFIA Industry Day at NASA ' s Armstrong Flight Research Center gives the agency and the SOFIA program team an opportunity to show off SOFIA to prospective partners and to the world . It also gives a chance to talk with those seeking more information about NASA ’ s plans for SOFIA and the opportunities that are being created . " On April 1 , NASA issued a Request for Information ( RFI ) to solicit potential partners for scientific investigations . Costs are estimated at $ 1 million per night for a dedicated mission . The SOFIA team has set April 31 as the deadline for submission of proposals in order to solidify partnership agreements prior to the beginning of the 2015 fiscal year on Oct . 1 . The RFI is available at : http : / / go . nasa . gov / 1 jvKupwSOFIA Program Manager Eddie Zavala explained during the briefings that the observatory reached full operational capability on Feb . 21 and SOFIA has already demonstrated that it is a key part of NASA ' s scientific observation assets . " What makes SOFIA unique is that its instrument complement covers a broad range of the infrared wavelengths , " Zavala said . " Because the observatory is an aircraft , the instruments can be improved and upgraded to take advantage of emerging technologies . The observatory can also quickly react to transient and unplanned events , such as comets . Additionally , SOFIA is capable of temporary operations from other locations such as the Southern Hemisphere , where SOFIA can observe objects of interest that are only seen in the skies at that latitude . The observatory can also fly to remote areas to observe phenomena where there are no other telescope facilities . " SOFIA is the only infrared telescope available to the astronomical community to provide data over a very large portion of the infrared spectrum , said Pam Marcum , SOFIA ' s project scientist at NASA ' s Ames Research Center at Moffett Field . Calif . " SOFIA has much to offer potential partners , " she explained . " SOFIA has capabilities to acquire one - of - a - kind data that could provide a key to unlocking long - standing questions about the universe , the Milky Way , and even the origins of the solar system . "" SOFIA has high angular resolution at wavelengths at which warm dust glows most brightly , " she explained . " This important capability alone is key to answering questions on how stars , such as our own sun , came to be . For example , in cases where other observatories may have seen a single ' blob ' of infrared light , SOFIA acts like a high - precision camera that can distinguish individual stars within the clump and to perform an accurate census of newly formed stars in that region . " Industry day attendees boarded NASA ' s SOFIA airborne observatory for a look at the high - tech infrared telescope , mission instruments and systems . Also on the agenda were briefings about the SOFIA and a tour of the science laboratories where the instruments are prepared for installation . Credits : NASA / Jay LevineIn addition to seeing through interstellar dust clouds , SOFIA is able to separate light into component colors with very high precision , allowing detailed investigation of the components and motions of celestial objects . " Armed with those tools , SOFIA observations that peer into the core of clouds with nascent stars could provide answers to elusive questions about the earliest phases of star formation , " Marcum said . " Do stars form by themselves , or do they always form in groups ? If molecular clouds always produce multiple stars , then why doesn ’ t our sun at least have a twin ? Such studies potentially will help researchers better understand planet formation around protostars by identifying the conditions most conducive to formation , such as chemical processing around of the protostar . " SOFIA is able to provide data on bright , star - forming regions , which are generally too bright for space - based telescopes to clearly see , Marcum said . For investigations such as catching a cloud in the act of collapsing and producing a star , Marcum explained that the range of wavelengths at which SOFIA observes is a “ sweet spot . ” In other words , the dusty cocoon surrounding the developing star would be too opaque to allow shorter wavelength light to pass out of the cloud , while the cocoon would be too transparent at longer wavelengths to definitively determine that the cloud was actually collapsing . " In addition , the observatory flies above 99 percent of the water vapor within the Earth ’ s atmosphere , which gives the observatory clear visibility within certain wavelength ranges that are blocked to observations by ground - based telescopes , " Marcum said . " While terrestrial atmospheric humidity is the bane of an infrared astronomer , ironically the formation of water in space is a poorly understood process for which SOFIA will provide essential data , as well as for investigations of other life - essential molecules . " SOFIA is a joint program of NASA and the German Aerospace Center ( DLR ) . The program is managed and the aircraft is based at NASA ' s Armstrong Flight Research Center . NASA ' s Ames Research Center manages SOFIA science and mission operations in cooperation with the Universities Space Research Association in Columbia , Md . , and the Deutsches SOFIA Institut in Stuttgart , Germany . Jay Levine , X - Press editorNASA Armstrong Flight Research CenterLast Updated : June 20 , 2015 Editor : Yvonne GibbsTags : Armstrong Flight Research Center , SOFIA , Read Full Article NASA Armstrong April 4 , 2014 Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on google _ plusone _ share Share on pinterest _ share More Sharing Services NASA Brings Science to Life in Guam ClassroomsStudents from Guam High School pose next to the Global Hawk after their field trip to the hangar at Andersen Air Force Base . A team of NASA researchers and a NASA Global Hawk unmanned aircraft traveled to the Micronesian Island of Guam for eight weeks of atmospheric science investigations from Jan . 17 through March 14 . The goal of the Airborne Tropical Tropopause Experiment ( ATTREX ) , missions to better understand the composition and humidity of the Tropical Tropopause Layer – an atmospheric layer located approximately 55 , 000 feet above the surface of Earth in the tropics . NASA ’ s Global Hawk No . 872 , normally based at NASA ' s Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards , Calif . , was flown to and based out of Andersen Air Force Base in Guam during the two - month period to provide scientists with direct access to the tropical tropopause . The data acquired during these ATTREX flights will be used to better predict stratospheric humidity and chemical composition , which will help to improve models of global climate change . In addition to completing cutting - edge atmospheric science , the ATTREX team took time to share the excitement of their scientific mission with the public and with elementary through high school students and teachers in Guam . Over the course of the mission , a team of ATTREX scientists , engineers , and pilots gave 34 presentations at eight middle and high schools in Guam before more than 3 , 500 students . " There is nothing that can replace seeing real people talking about their daily work , " said Colette Beausoleil , science teacher at John F . Kennedy High School in Tamuning , Guam . " It ’ s fantastic to have real scientists , real pilots , real engineers and technicians come in and share their experiences with the kids because that brings science to life . ” The ATTREX team also worked with the Department of Defense Education Activity to organize a field trip for a group of over 200 students and their teachers from Guam High School . During the field trip , students and teachers saw the Global Hawk and its instruments up close at Andersen Air Force Base . Students learned about the different instruments installed on the Global Hawk and how they operate , talked to pilots about what it is like to fly a remotely operated plane , and saw the laboratory facilities used to analyze the data collected aboard the plane . NASA Pilot Herman Posada talks to students at Inarajan Middle School , in Inarajan , Guam . All of the Guam students and teachers also had the opportunity to continue to follow the ATTREX flights from their classrooms in real time with a web - based flight - following tool called the NASA Mission Tools Suite for Education ( MTSE ) . MTSE now is used by schools all over the world to connect their classrooms to NASA Airborne Science Program missions and to text - chat live with mission personnel . During the ATTREX mission , 25 classrooms from Guam , the U . S . and Chile participated in live on - line chats through the MTSE website with ATTREX scientists , pilots and engineers in Guam . “ I just want to express my thanks to NASA and to the ATTREX project for coming into our schools , " said Steven Bloom , Guam High School superintendent . " It is just so important for our students today to see the relevance of what they are reading in the book to real life problems in our environment . The ability to communicate with the scientists and the pilots during an actual mission should stimulate them and create so much motivation . I ’ m sure that we ’ re going to see the next generation of scientists and engineers come out of the work that ’ s going on with your outreach program . ” View video of ATTREX Guam Educational Outreach Activities : https : / / www . youtube . com / watch ? v = b 0 - EY 65 Gj 8 sFor more on NASA ' s ATTREX airborne science mission , visit : https : / / espo . nasa . gov / missions / attrex -- Emily Schaller , Education & Public OutreachNASA Airborne Science ProgramNational Suborbital Education and Research CenterPhotos by Rafael Mendez / Diego Beltran , ArtefocalTeachers who would like to connect their classes to future NASA Airborne Science Program missions may contact Emily Schaller of the NASA Airborne Science Program , National Suborbital Education and Research Center , at 701 - 317 - 0789 , email emily . schaller @ nasa . gov . Troy Thornberry of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) explains the functions of the NOAA water vapor instrument installed on NASA ' s Global Hawk for the ATTREX mission . Last Updated : June 20 , 2015 Editor : Yvonne GibbsTags : Ames Research Center , Armstrong Flight Research Center , Read Full Article NASA Armstrong March 15 , 2014 NASA Completes This Year ' s Flights in Search of Climate Change Clues NASA ' s Global Hawk No . 872 flares for landing at Andersen Air Force Base on Guam to begin the 2014 ATTREX climate - change mission Jan . 17 . The two - month - long airborne science flight campaign wrapped up with the aircraft ' s return to NASA ' s Armstrong Flight Research Center March 14 . ( U . S . Air Force ) NASA ' s Global Hawk research aircraft returned to its base at NASA ' s Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards , Calif . , early Friday morning March 14 , marking the completion of flights in support of this year ' s Airborne Tropical Tropopause Experiment ( ATTREX ) , a multi - year NASA airborne science campaign . On Feb . 13 , the autonomously operated aircraft began conducting science flights from Andersen Air Force Base on Guam in the western Pacific region on a mission to track changes in the upper atmosphere and help researchers understand how these changes affect Earth ' s climate . Mario Rana of Science Systems and Applications , Inc . , at NASA Langley ( foreground ) and Jim Podolske of NASA Ames check out data recorded by the Diode Laser Hygrometer installed on NASA ' s Global Hawk following a 2014 ATTREX mission flight March 9 over the western Pacific Ocean . ( NASA / Dave Fratello ) " The western Pacific region is critical for establishing the humidity of the air entering the stratosphere , " said Eric Jensen , ATTREX principal investigator at NASA ’ s Ames Research Center at Moffett Field , Calif . ATTREX measures the moisture levels and chemical composition of upper regions of the lowest layer of Earth ' s atmosphere , a region where even small changes can significantly impact climate . Scientists will use the data to better understand physical processes occurring in this part of the atmosphere and help make more accurate climate predictions . Studies show even slight changes in the chemistry and amount of water vapor in the stratosphere , the same region that is home to the ozone layer that protects life on Earth from the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation , can affect climate significantly by absorbing thermal radiation rising from the surface . Predictions of stratospheric humidity changes are uncertain because of gaps in the understanding of the physical processes occurring in the tropical tropopause layer . ATTREX is studying moisture and chemical composition from altitudes of 45 , 000 to 60 , 000 feet in the tropical tropopause , which is the transition layer between the troposphere , the lowest part of the atmosphere , and the stratosphere , which extends to roughly 30 miles above Earth ' s surface . Scientists consider the tropical tropopause to be the gateway for water vapor , ozone and other gases that enter the stratosphere . For this mission , the Global Hawk carries instruments that will sample the tropopause near the equator over the Pacific Ocean . ATTREX scientists installed 13 research instruments on NASA ' s Global Hawk 872 . Some of these instruments capture air samples while others use remote sensing to analyze clouds , temperature , water vapor , gases and solar radiation . This year , ATTREX conducted seven long - duration science flights totaling 121 hours , averaging more than 17 hours per flight . This year ' s flights bring the total hours flown in support of ATTREX to 297 hours since 2011 . A team of NOAA researchers checks out the UAS Chromatograph for Atmospheric Trace Species ( UCATS ) instrument installed in NASA ' s unmanned Global Hawk for the ATTREX mission . ( NASA photo ) Jensen and Project Manager Dave Jordan of Ames lead the ATTREX mission . It includes investigators from Ames and three other NASA facilities : Langley Research Center in Hampton , Va . , Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt , Md . , and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena , Calif . The team also includes investigators from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , the National Center for Atmospheric Research , the University of California at Los Angeles , the University of Miami , the University of Heidelberg , and private industry . ATTREX is one of the first research missions of NASA ' s new Earth Venture project . These small and targeted science investigations complement NASA ' s broader science research satellite missions . The Earth Venture missions are part of NASA ' s Earth System Science Pathfinder Program managed by Langley . NASA monitors Earth ' s vital signs from land , air and space with a fleet of satellites and ambitious airborne and ground - based observation campaigns . NASA develops new ways to observe and study Earth ' s interconnected natural systems with long - term data records and computer analysis tools to better see how our planet is changing . The agency shares this unique knowledge with the global community and works with institutions in the United States and around the world that contribute to understanding and protecting our home planet . For more information about NASA ' s Earth science activities in 2014 , visit : http : / / www . nasa . gov / earthrightnowRachel Hoover , public affairsNASA Ames Research CenterLast Updated : June 20 , 2015 Editor : Jaimie BaccusTags : Ames Research Center , Armstrong Flight Research Center , Climate , Earth , Read Full Article NASA Armstrong March 7 , 2014 SOFIA ' s Target of Opportunity : Observing Supernova 2014 J The first two images above show the central portions of galaxy M 82 prior to the supernova explosion , while the right image shows Supernova SN 2014 J taken by the FLITECAM instrument on the SOFIA observatory on Feb . 20 . Credits : NASA / SOFIA / FLITECAM team / Sachindev ShenoyOn four flights in late February , NASA ' s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy ( SOFIA ) focused on an explosion known as a supernova that obliterated the remains of a star about the mass of the sun in the Messier 82 galaxy ( M 82 ) . Located 11 million light years from Earth in the direction of the constellation Ursa Major , the exploding star is named Supernova ( SN ) 2014 J . NASA called upon SOFIA to view the supernova on Feb . 18 , 20 , 24 and 26 using the converted jetliner ' s 2 . 5 - meter diameter telescope that is optimized for collecting radiation at infrared wavelengths . SOFIA is able to fly above 99 percent of the water vapor in the Earth ' s atmosphere that blocks most infrared light from being observed by ground - based telescopes . Supernova 2014 J is a Type 1 a supernova , known to astronomers as a " standard candle . " The power output of a standard candle is well - known . In the same way that you can estimate the distance of a flashlight of known wattage by seeing how bright or faint it appears , astronomical standard candles allow determination of distances to objects that are extremely far away . Type 1 a supernovae are the main yardsticks used to measure the expansion of the universe and demonstrate that the expansion is actually accelerating . Supernovae are also important in a way that ' s surprisingly relevant to life on Earth . Most of the atoms in the universe more massive than iron ( such as nickel , lead , gold , silver , and platinum ) are made in the incomprehensible heat of supernova explosions . Essentially all the gold or silver you own , and the nickel in the coins in your pocket , was forged originally in supernova explosions that happened long before Earth formed . " SN 2014 J is the brightest and closest Type 1 a supernova we ' ve seen in the last 40 years and that ' s why it ' s exciting , " said Erick Young , science mission operations director from the SOFIA Science Center at NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View , Calif . " We have been finishing our last instrument commissioning tests as we prepare to transition from an experimental platform into a fully operational observatory . While we were airborne , we wanted to use Supernova 2014 J as a test target . We ' ve taken some very interesting images of the exploding star , but what the scientific community wants to study most is the spectroscopic data we ' ve obtained using the FLITECAM ( First Light Infrared Test Experiment CAMera ) instrument . " SOFIA instrument scientist Maureen Savage , Sarah Langdon of UCLA , FLITECAM Principal Investigator Ian McLean of UCLA , SOFIA Senior Science Advisor William Vacca , and SOFIA Chief Science Advisor Eric Becklin review infrared data of SN 2014 J during a SOFIA observatory mission in February 2014 . Credits : NASA / USRA / Nick VeronicoDeveloped by Professor Ian McLean and his team at the University of California , Los Angeles , FLITECAM is a near - infrared camera with spectrographic capabilities . Its near - infrared camera detects light in the 1 - to 5 . 2 - micron wavelength range . Each element has its own unique spectral signature , which FLITECAM can record using its grism spectrometer . The FLITECAM team is using those data to study infrared spectral lines that cannot be detected from Earth or from any current space observatory . Astronomers estimate that the first light from the SN 2014 J explosion reached Earth during the night of Jan . 14 - 15 , but was first noticed on Jan . 21 by a group of students at the University of London Observatory . In the weeks following its discovery , most telescopes on Earth and in space have observed the exploding star to produce a variety of intriguing images . SOFIA ' s supernova studies were accomplished using a pool of observing hours that Science Mission Operations Director Young can use for targets that require a quick reaction , such as SN 2014 J , or other unusual projects . Five principal investigators were awarded observing time to use SOFIA ' s instrumentation during the next few months to study SN 2014 J . The scientists whose proposals were selected were Peter Garnavich from the University of Notre Dame , Bob Gehrz from the University of Minnesota , Jason Spyromillo from the European Southern Observatory , plus SOFIA staff scientists Ryan Hamilton and Bill Vacca . Observations Over the Pacific OceanFor its observations on the night of Feb . 20 - 21 , SOFIA took off from its home base at the NASA Science and Aircraft Integration Facility in Palmdale , Calif . , for the nearly 10 - hour mission . FLITECAM can be co - mounted onto the SOFIA telescope with the High - speed Imaging Photometer for Occultations ( HIPO ) instrument . During the flight , the HIPO instrument team from the Lowell Observatory , in Flagstaff , Ariz . , used the time to finish some commissioning tests , testing HIPO ' s sensitivity to objects near the horizon during twilight . Measurements from these tests will be used to determine observing procedures for future observations . Observations of Supernova 2014 J began 750 miles north of Hawaii and continued in a sweeping arc back to the U . S . mainland . " This supernova was a good target for our commissioning because it is both relatively bright and has high contrast against the galaxy – this single exploding star outshines the other 100 billion stars in the M 82 galaxy , " said McLean . " Astronomers would like to observe the supernova across the entire optical and infrared spectrum without any obscuration caused by absorption in Earth ' s atmosphere , " McLean noted . " You really cannot make those observations from the ground , even from a site like Mauna Kea in Hawaii , which is at 14 , 000 feet . There ' s still strong absorption at a number of near - infrared wavelengths , especially from 1 . 37 to 1 . 50 microns between the J and H bands , and from 1 . 8 to 2 . 0 microns between the H and K bands . ( Near - infrared wavelength ranges in which Earth ' s atmosphere is especially transparent have been given letter designations by astronomers : J = 1 . 13 to 1 . 37 microns , H = 1 . 50 to 1 . 80 microns , K = 2 . 01 to 2 . 42 microns . )" We know that the spectra of the supernova have strong emission features in those wavelength ranges , " he said . " Using FLITECAM , it was easy to place the spectrograph slit on to the bright supernova star and get its spectrum . We have , indeed , measured the spectrum continuously from 1 to 3 microns with no interruptions due to atmospheric water vapor absorption , so those data are pretty spectacular . " To be able to observe the supernova without having to make assumptions about the absorption of the Earth ' s atmosphere is great , " McLean continued . " You could make these observations from space as well , if there was a suitable infrared spectrograph to make those measurements , but right now there isn ' t one . So this observation is something SOFIA can do that is absolutely unique and extremely valuable to the astronomical community . " On board SOFIA during the supernova observations was guest investigator Howie Marion from the University of Texas at Austin . He was observing as the spectra were gathered on the flight . " There is very high atmospheric opacity between the H - and K - bands . In spectra obtained with ground - based observations , that region is so noisy that the results are unusable , " Marion said . " The FLITECAM spectrum has a good signal - to - noise ratio in that area because the opacity is so much lower at 43 , 000 feet . Connecting the dots across the gap from 1 . 8 to 2 microns is important because of the spectral features that are revealed and also to determine the shape of the continuum through the H - and K - bands . FLITECAM provided a beautiful continuous spectrum . " When a Type 1 a supernova explodes , the densest , hottest region within the core produces nickel 56 . The radioactive decay of nickel - 56 through cobalt - 56 to iron - 56 produces the light we are observing tonight , " said Marion . " At this life phase of the supernova , about one month after we first saw the explosion , the H - and K - band spectra are dominated by lines of ionized cobalt . We plan to study the spectral features produced by these lines over a period of time and see how they change relative to each other . That will help us define the mass of the radioactive core of the supernova . Understanding small changes in the core mass from one Type 1 a supernova to the next is an important part of predicting the total power output of each individual event . That information , in turn , will help studies of how dark matter and dark energy affect the expansion of the universe . " SOFIA and Supernova 2014 J in the Coming Months " During the course of these four flights , we ' ve dedicated approximately eight hours of observing time to Supernova 2014 J , " said Young . " Later this year we ' ll install the Faint Object InfraRed CAmera for the SOFIA Telescope ( FORCAST ) instrument to make additional follow - up observations at mid - infrared wavelengths . " All the data we ' ve collected on Supernova 2014 J will become public as soon as it is processed into a scientifically presentable form . The raw data will be accessible through our data cycle system in a few days , the imaging data a few days after , followed in a couple of weeks by the grism ( spectroscopy ) data . SOFIA ' s observations soon will be available to the astronomical community and we look forward to seeing the resulting scientific insights that they provide . " Supernova SN 2014 J principal investigators include Peter Garnavich of the University of Notre Dame , Bob Gehrz of the University of Minnesota , Jason Spyromillo of European Southern University , Ryan Hamilton and William Vacca of the Universities Science Research Association ' s SOFIA Science Center at NASA ' s Ames Research Center . Among the other major space - based observatories used in the M 82 viewing campaign are NASA ' s Hubble Space Telescope , Chandra X - ray Observatory , Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array ( NuSTAR ) , Fermi Gamma - ray Space Telescope , and Swift Gamma Ray Burst Explorer . In addition to SOFIA , key infrared observations are being collected by the Spitzer Space Telescope . SOFIA is a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center ( DLR ) . NASA ' s Armstrong Flight Research Center manages the program , and the observatory is based at the center ' s Science and Aircraft Integration Facility in Palmdale , Calif . NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field , Calif . , manages the SOFIA science and mission operations in cooperation with the Universities Space Research Association ( USRA ) headquartered in Columbia , Md . , and the German SOFIA Institute ( DSI ) at the University of Stuttgart . For more information about SOFIA ' s science mission , visit : http : / / www . sofia . usra . eduhttp : / / www . dsi . uni - stuttgart . de / index . en . htmlFor more on the M 82 supernova as seen from the Spitzer space telescope , visit : www . nasa . gov / jpl / spitzer / galaxy - 20140226 / Nicholas A . Veronico , SOFIA Science CenterNASA Ames Research Center , Moffett Field , Calif . Last Updated : June 20 , 2015 Editor : Monroe ConnerTags : Ames Research Center , Armstrong Flight Research Center , SOFIA , Supernova , Read Full Article SOFIA Nov . 22 , 2013 SOFIA ' s Target of Opportunity : Comet ISONImages of Comet ISON were obtained by SOFIA ' s FORCAST camera at wavelengths of 11 . 1 , 19 . 7 , and 31 . 5 microns . Measurements at 31 . 5 microns , crucial for determining the temperature and other characteristics of the comet ' s material , cannot be made using ground - based telescopes . Credits : NASA / Diane WoodenDiane Wooden , an astrophysicist based at NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field , Calif . , specializes in infrared spectroscopy with an emphasis on comets . Asteroid “ 17421 Wooden ” is named in her honor for her pioneering work on crystals and comets . Credits : NASA / Nick VeronicoNASA ’ s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy ( SOFIA ) embarked on a “ target of opportunity ” flight recently that included study of Comet ISON . The lengthy mission was SOFIA ' s second opportunity to capture data on a comet , having previously studied Comet Hartley 2 in 2010 . For the Comet ISON observations , the target was predicted to be – and was -- very faint . The observatory ’ s flight path saw NASA ’ s highly modified 747 SP that carries a high - tech German - built 2 . 5 meter infrared telescope depart its home base at Palmdale , Calif . , the evening of Oct . 24 , 2013 . It then flew east to Colorado , turned northeast and passed over the Canadian township of Pickle Lake , ontario , then headed west over Medicine Hat , Alberta , where the observatory turned south and continued flying toward the United States . The comet ISON observations began south of the Canadian border , above the border of Idaho and Montana while SOFIA was flying at 43 , 000 feet altitude . The entire non - stop flight took nearly 10 hours to complete . Comet ISON , a pristine chunk of primordial material from the Oort Cloud , recently entered the inner solar system for the first time and is heading toward a close encounter with the sun . on Nov . 28 , 2013 , Thanksgiving Day , Comet ISON will reach perihelion – the orbital point of closest approach to the sun -- passing within 730 , 000 miles of the sun . The comet was discovered in September 2012 , by researchers Vitali Nevski and Artyom Novichonk using the International Scientific Optical Network ’ s ( ISON ) 0 . 4 - meter ( 16 - inch ) telescope . It was then named in honor of the institution . Comet studied at Three WavelengthsComet ISON is seen looking through the telescope ’ s Focal Plane Imager , a guide camera , on Oct . 24 , 2013 . The comet ’ s tail extends to the lower right . The comet was very faint and was imaged at 11 . 1 and 19 . 7 - micron wavelengths . Credits : NASA / Nick VeronicoPrincipal investigator Diane Wooden of NASA ' s Ames Research Center , who had proposed that Comet ISON be studied at three infrared wavelengths – 11 . 1 , 19 . 7 , and 31 . 5 microns , was aboard the Oct . 24 SOFIA flight . Two of those wavelengths , 19 . 7 and 31 . 5 microns , cannot be seen from Earth - based telescopes because water vapor in Earth ’ s atmosphere blocks infrared energy from reaching the ground . The 31 . 5 - micron wavelength was detected simultaneously with the 11 . 1 and 19 . 7 - micron images . The 11 . 1 - micron wavelength allows the SOFIA observations to be tied to ground - based measurements with the Subaru Telescope on Mauna Kea , Hawaii , and the Great Canary Telescope on the island of La Palma , in Spain ’ s Canary Islands . Currently , there are no space - borne telescopes operating at wavelengths longer than 4 . 5 microns , making SOFIA the only telescope able to see these limited wavelengths . Wooden , who made more than 75 flights on SOFIA ’ s predecessor , the Kuiper Airborne Observatory , is working with a diverse team that will combine its numerous observations to better understand the composition of Comet ISON . Her observations aboard SOFIA were to measure the thermal emission from small and large dust grains in the coma of Comet ISON by measuring the mid - infrared wavelengths with the Faint Object InfraRed CAmera for the SOFIA Telescope ( FORCAST ) instrument . FORCAST collects infrared photons at wavelengths between five - and 40 - microns . “ The long wavelength photometry , only possible from SOFIA , will allow us to measure the thermal emission from larger grains , which cannot be seen in scattered light at visible wavelengths , ” said Wooden . “ Compared with smaller submicron grains , larger grains have cooler temperatures and emit at longer wavelengths . only the FORCAST instrument on SOFIA can obtain the longer wavelength photometry measurements that sample the thermal emission of the larger grains , " she explained . " By modeling the FORCAST photometry , we can constrain the grain size distribution and the dust mass . The mass and loss rate of the dust are one of the fundamental characterizations of a comet . ” Making the ObservationsSOFIA FORCAST instrument scientist James DeBuizer ( left ) consults with principal investigator Diane Wooden ( right ) during the Comet ISON observations . Credits : NASA / Nick Veronico “ When we got onto the comet leg of the flight , we clearly saw the extended coma in the fine guiding camera but not in the wide - angle camera , ” Wooden said . “ We acquired images at 11 . 1 microns and immediately saw the comet was faint . We then shifted to the 19 . 7 - micron filter , where the comet was expected to be brighter . " Soon we could see the comet was about as weak at 19 . 7 microns as it was 11 . 1 microns , consistent with the expectations of a typical grain - size distribution , Wooden continued . " If the 19 . 7 - micron images had a stronger signal , that would have meant there were more , larger grains . Wooden said these measurements are important because they serve as constraints or upper limits on the flux of thermal emissions from larger dust grains in the coma . " Studying the dust ’ s thermal emission from SOFIA enables us to derive the grain size , its distribution , and the mass of the amount of dust coming from the comet , " she said . " This is a critical complement to studying the gases that are released , and thereby contributes significantly to understanding the origins of comets . “ We learned that the comet is dust - poor not only for small grains , as already known by the weak scattered light at visible wavelengths , but also for larger grains detectable at these mid - IR wavelengths from SOFIA , ” Wooden concluded . Nicholas A . Veronico , SOFIA Public AffairsNASA Ames Research CenterLast Updated : June 20 , 2015 Editor : Monroe ConnerTags : Ames Research Center , Armstrong Flight Research Center , Comets , SOFIA , Read Full Article HS 3 Hurricane Aug . 20 , 2013 Learning by Doing : NASA ' s Airborne Research Experience for EducatorsNASA Dryden research pilot Tom Miller ( second from left ) explains capabilities of the NASA Global Hawk unmanned aircraft to AREE program participants Natalie Twitchell , Laura Menard , and Eric Sands . ( NASA / Ken Ulbrich ) ED 13 - 0234 - 21 AREE 2013 program teachers Jamie Ballard , Natalie Twitchell , Erica Weathers , and Jalel Ben Hmida examine a lightweight insulation tile from a space shuttle mission during their tour of NASA Dryden ' s Flight Loads Laboratory . ( NASA / Ken Ulbrich ) ED 13 - 0234 - 42 Heather Cavell , one of 12 teachers involved in NASA ' s Airborne Research Experience for educators this summer , details NASA ' s HS 3 hurricane study and ATTREX environmental science mission to members of the public attending a recent Thursday Night on the Square activity in Palmdale . ( NASA / Shaun SmithTwelve educators from across the country came to the high desert of Southern California in July to participate in NASA ' s Airborne Research Experience for Educators ( AREE ) , a 10 - day workshop and research experience at the agency ' s Dryden Flight Research Center . Funded by NASA ' s Ames Research Center , Moffett Field , Calif . , Earth Science Project Office and Dryden ' s Office of Education , the AREE project targeted STEM teachers who taught grades four through 12 in both formal classroom and informal settings such as science centers or museums . This year ' s AREE program focused on three unique " real - world " components : citizen science through the GLOBE curricular protcols , industry - standard engineering design models , and computer science and data calibration / validation with the Arduino microcontroller . While teachers sat at monitors in the Global Hawk control room , project personnel explained the displays and how they were used to show the different aspects of the mission . " I never thought of how the satellite time window would affect surveillance of a hurricane , " stated Arizona teacher Laura Menard . " I can now see when we need aircraft to monitor the storms . It was interesting to see how many monitors they use in the control center to monitor different data and readings from the aircraft simultaneously . " An important selection criterion for the AREE project was the number of years applicants had been teaching . Nearly half of the teachers who were chosen were early in their careers -- 2 to 5 years – the period where research has shown that educators are the most likely to leave the profession . Two other criteria were the percentage of under - represented student populations at their schools , as well as a science , technology , engineering , and mathematics ( STEM ) background . The activities taking place in late July focused on two NASA Earth science missions . one , the Airborne Tropical TRopopause Experiment or ATTREX , studies the atmosphere ' s interaction of the physical processes in the boundary between the troposphere and stratosphere , called the tropopause . The ATTREX mission in 2014 will see a Global Hawk autonomously operated aircraft fly over Guam and Hawaii in the tropical tropopause layer at about 10 miles in altitude . This layer impacts the composition of the stratosphere , including the amount of water vapor and ozone concentrations . The second mission is the Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel , or HS 3 , mission that is investigating how tropical storms form to become hurricanes . HS 3 , now in its second year , involves data collection by both of NASA ' s long - endurance Global Hawk aircraft over storm systems that develop over the Atlantic Ocean . Teachers also received technical content instruction from mission scientists and engineers that included use of technology via an online tool to monitor missions real - time , and inquiry - based teaching and learning , as well as engineering design . " Today was a motivating day . The presenters were great and the information extremely useful , " expressed Southern California teacher Antonio Gamboa . " I have a much better grasp and understanding about the NASA missions and how I could integrate them into my class . " The experiences will be translated into classroom practice through a thematic STEM module developed during the program . The module also provided instruction on the use of Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment ( GLOBE ) , a worldwide hands - on primary and secondary school education program where students use GLOBE protocols to make data observations , and report these observations to the GLOBE website . " I liked the GLOBE activities because I had not even been exposed to some of those instruments before , " said Kentucky teacher Erica Lynch . " While weather may not be taught extensively in my subjects , I think the process of gathering data can be useful and beneficial in the classroom . Using a barometer to predict storms , finding wind speed , as well as determining temperature and humidity would tie in very well with flight projects . " This year ' s AREE participants included : · Jessica Chan , from Oak Knoll Montessori School in Los Angeles , · Natalie Twitchell from Griffiths Middle School , Downey , Calif . ,· Phyllis Friello from Baltimore School for the Arts , Baltimore , Md . ,· Cristina Navarro from the Billy Mitchell Elementary School in Hawthorne , Calif . ,· Eric Sands from Wasco High School in Wasco , Calif . ,· Thierno Tall from the Edward M . Kennedy Health Careers Academy in Cambridge , Mass . ,· Jamie Ballard from Bunche Middle School in Costa Mesa , Calif . ,· Antonio Gamboa from Garey High School in Pomona , Calif . ,· Erica Lynch from McCracken County High School in Calvert City , Ky . ,· Jalel Ben Hmida from Lafayette High School in Breaux Bridge , La . ,· Laura Menard from St . Pius Elementary School in Lafayette , La . ,· Heather Cavell of the Arizona Virtual Program , K - 12 Schools , Vail , Ariz . For more on NASA ' s AREE program , visit : http : / / www . nasa . gov / audience / foreducators / teachingfromspace / home / arees / index . htmlFor more on the ATTREX mission , visit : http : / / science 1 . nasa . gov / missions / attrex / For more on NASA ' s Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel , or HS 3 , mission visit : http : / / espo . nasa . gov / missions / hs 3 / content / HS 3 _ 0 More on the GLOBE program is available at : http : / / science - edu . larc . nasa . gov / GLOBE / Leslie Williams , Public AffairsNASA Dryden Flight Research CenterLast Updated : June 20 , 2015 Editor : Jaimie BaccusTags : Ames Research Center , Armstrong Flight Research Center , HS 3 Hurricane Mission ( Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel ) , Read Full Article SOFIA Aug . 14 , 2013 Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on google _ plusone _ share Share on pinterest _ share More Sharing Services SOFIA in New Zealand — Much Attempted , Much AchievedThe SOFIA 747 SP prepares for takeoff from Christchurch International Airport , New Zealand , on one of nine science missions to collect infrared astronomy data about the skies over the Southern Hemisphere . ED 13 - 0220 - 450 Credits : NASA / Carla Thomas ( NASA ' s SOFIA observatory program manager Eddie Zavala reflects on the myriad details of preparing for and then executing the flying observatory ' s first Southern Hemisphere mission in the summer of 2013 . ) SOFIA program manager Eddie Zavala welcomes home the SOFIA team from the program ' s first deployment to the Southern Hemisphere . ED 13 - 0267 - 13 Credits : NASA / Tom TschidaFly 6 , 900 miles each way , deploy a cadre of flight and ground crew members along with an international science team for three weeks , and during that time fly three nights per week , 10 hours per flight , all while conducting world - class science . It ’ s a lot to imagine , and even greater to have accomplished it all . To meet our program goals set earlier this year , the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy ( SOFIA ) departed the United States on July 12 for the first leg of its deployment to Christchurch , New Zealand . Having stopped for a flight crew change and some Hawaiian hospitality from the good folks at Joint Base Pearl Harbor - Hickam outside of Honolulu , the observatory arrived the following morning at Christchurch where preparations began for the first of nine science missions . Water vapor in the Earth ’ s atmosphere is extremely low during the winter months over the southern oceans , thus our decision to base the observatory at Christchurch . Contributing to that decision was the infrastructure provided by the U . S . Antarctic Program , which is operated by the National Science Foundation ( NSF ) from the Christchurch International Airport . During our deployment , the NSF opened its facilities to us , and they , along with everyone at the Christchurch International Airport , were most gracious hosts . While we were on New Zealand ’ s southern island , our team was supported by the U . S . State Department and U . S . Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa David Huebner and his staff who are based in Wellington , the capital on the northern island . I ’ d also like to extend a special note of appreciation to all of the New Zealanders who were very interested in our mission and made our team feel most welcome . For our flights from Christchurch we planned a series of observations using the German Receiver for Astronomy at Terahertz Frequencies ( GREAT ) that were proposed by a combination of guest astronomy investigators plus members of the GREAT consortium . Developed by a team from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy , Bonn , Germany , the GREAT instrument is a spectrometer that detects the wave aspect rather than the particle aspect of infrared light . Among its many other capabilities , GREAT helps astronomers measure the chemical composition of star - forming regions and supernova remnants . For this deployment we spent the majority of our time observing the Milky Way Galaxy ’ s central regions and its companion dwarf galaxies known as the Magellanic Clouds . The German Receiver for Astronomy at Terahertz Frequencies ( GREAT ) is mounted on the SOFIA telescope for the program ' s first deployment to investigate the skies over the Southern Hemisphere . ED 13 - 0220 - 369 cCredits : NASA / Carla ThomasMeasuring the chemical composition of the interstellar medium in the Magellanic Clouds enables astronomers to infer conditions right after the “ Big Bang ” because the material of the clouds has not been recycled through many generations of stars forming and dying . Even though this material has been floating in space for millions of years , it is considered relatively “ fresh ” and in an unprocessed state . SOFIA ’ s access to this material means our observatory can , in effect , do cosmology research without the need to make measurements of galaxies billions of light years away . This capability is very exciting to our science staff and the worldwide astronomical community . SOFIA ’ s deployment to New Zealand , completed on Aug . 2 , was entirely successful and very important to our program . We demonstrated the capability to operate the world ' s largest airborne astronomical observatory with high efficiency and reliability , achieving 100 percent of the planned science flights . By all accounts the quality of the scientific data was also outstanding . The international deployment team did an excellent job planning and safely executing every logistical and operational detail , and those of us “ left behind ” worked hard before and during the deployment to support them . Completing our first scientific deployment is a key accomplishment in our transition to becoming a fully operational observatory . Congratulations to the entire team for this outstanding achievement . I am very happy to welcome them back home ! Eddie Zavala , NASA SOFIA Program ManagerNASA Dryden Flight Research Center ( Editor ' s Note : Eddie Zavala is program manager of the Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy , or SOFIA , program at NASA ' s Dryden Flight Research Center , Edwards , Calif . In this position , he is responsible for overall development and operation of the SOFIA Science Center at Ames Research Center , Moffett Field , Calif . , and the airborne observatory , which features a German - built 2 . 5 - meter infrared telescope mounted in a highly modified Boeing 747 SP aircraft based at the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale , Calif . The program , a cooperative effort between NASA ' s Dryden and Ames research centers and DLR , the German Aerospace Center , is the agency ' s next - generation airborne observatory , giving astronomers routine access to the infrared and sub - millimeter portions of the electromagnetic spectrum of the universe . ) Last Updated : June 20 , 2015 Editor : Monroe ConnerTags : Ames Research Center , Armstrong Flight Research Center , SOFIA , Read Full Article