Apr.

26, 2007

Dryden Flight Research Center

P.O. Box 273
Edwards, California 93523
Phone 661/276-3449
FAX 661/276-3566

Beth Hagenauer
NASA Dryden Flight Research Center
661-276-7960

Mike Mewhinney
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
650-604-3937

Dwayne Brown
NASA Headquarters, Washington
202-258-1726RELEASE: 07-20

NASA COMPLETES FIRST CHECKOUT FLIGHT OF AIRBORNE OBSERVATORY

WACO, Texas - NASA today successfully completed the first of

several planned checkout test flights of the Stratospheric
Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) aircraft.

The flight took place in Waco, Texas, to observe the low-speed and
low-altitude handling performance of the aircraft. NASA research
pilot and astronaut Gordon Fullerton led the crew making the historic
first flight.

"Today's first flight of SOFIA is a major milestone for the program

and I want to thank the entire SOFIA team for all of its hard work
over the years in making this first flight a success," said Jon
Morse, director of the Astrophysics Division, NASA Headquarters,
Washington.

The tests are required prior to the aircraft's ferry flight to its
home base at NASA's Dryden Research Center, Edwards, Calif.,
tentatively scheduled for late May or early June. Once the aircraft
arrives at Dryden, further development and a series of flight tests
will take place leading up to science observations scheduled for 2009
or 2010.

Prior to this first successful flight, the airplane underwent major

modifications at L-3 Communications Integrated Systems in Waco,
Texas. To enable the 45,000-pound infrared telescope to scan the
skies, the 747SP was modified by cutting a 16-foot tall opening in
the aft fuselage, and equipping it with a sliding door. By flying at
altitudes above 40,000 feet, this special 747SP will rise above most
atmospheric water vapor to give the 98.4-inch (2.5 meter) diameter
infrared telescope clear access to collect infrared images from
space. The telescope can be positioned anywhere in the skies, unlike
ground-based telescopes, and between science missions it can be
serviced and reconfigured as needed to accomplish world-class
astronomy.

SOFIA will study the universe in the infrared spectrum. SOFIA also
will be used to develop observational techniques, new
instrumentation, and to educate young scientists and teachers in the
discipline of infrared astronomy.

SOFIA is a joint international effort by NASA and DLR, the German

Aerospace Center. The aircraft will be based at Dryden. SOFIA's
science center is located at NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett
Field, Calif. The entire effort is supported by Universities Space
Research Association (USRA), a non-profit group of universities
created in 1969 by the National Academy of Sciences, as well as the
Deutsche SOFIA Institute (DSI), Stuttgart, Germany.

For more information about SOFIA, visit www.sofia.usra.edu

For more information on research at NASA Dryden, visit:

www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/home/index.html

PHOTO EDITORS: Publication-quality photos of SOFIA's first flight are

available for downloading at
http://www1.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Photo/SOFIA/index.html

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