{"id":4217,"date":"2022-12-08T10:15:55","date_gmt":"2022-12-08T17:15:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pimaair.org\/?page_id=4217"},"modified":"2025-03-22T06:45:51","modified_gmt":"2025-03-22T13:45:51","slug":"sofia","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/pimaair.org\/sofia\/","title":{"rendered":"SOFIA"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>\n<p class=\"title\">NASA\u2019s Retired SOFIA Aircraft Finds New Home at Arizona Museum<\/p>\n<\/h1>\n<div>\n<p>Below is NASA&#8217;s official press release regarding their decision to choose Pima Air &amp; Space Museum as the home for the retirement of their iconic aircraft.<\/p>\n<p>Watch the SOFIA episode with our partners at The Aviation Show:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/G-oxMUnK1gI?si=JAS6dKGEHO59zlvZ\">NASA\u2019s Airborne Telescope SOFIA with D\u00f6rte Mehlert<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/sofiaoversierra.jpeg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Palmdale, CA, Dec. 8, 2022 &#8211; NASA\u2019s now-retired Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) aircraft will find a permanent home in the Pima Air &amp; Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona. The airplane is expected to make its final flight from NASA\u2019s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Palmdale, California, to Tucson on Tuesday, Dec. 13.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe SOFIA mission has a powerful potential to inspire, from its discoveries about the unknown in our universe, to the engineering achievements that broke new ground, to the international cooperation that made it all possible,\u201d said Paul Hertz, senior advisor for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. \u201cWe are excited SOFIA will continue to engage a diverse new generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/DJI_0721-HDR.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The SOFIA aircraft is a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry a reflecting telescope. Engineering innovations enabled a large door in the fuselage to remain open while the aircraft was in flight, allowing the telescope to observe infrared light from the Moon, planets, stars, star-forming regions, and nearby galaxies. After a successful eight years of science, SOFIA<span>\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/ames\/nasa-s-legacy-of-science-engineering-in-retiring-airborne-observatory\/\">completed its science program<\/a><span>\u00a0<\/span>and<span>\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/nasa-partner-decide-to-conclude-sofia-mission\">ended operations<\/a><span>\u00a0<\/span>Sept. 29, 2022.<\/p>\n<p>To determine a new home for the plane after the end of the mission, NASA followed regulations for the disposition of excess government equipment. Pima, one of the world\u2019s largest aerospace museums, is developing plans for when and how the SOFIA aircraft will eventually be on display to the public. Along with six hangars, 80 acres of outdoor display grounds, and more than 425 aircraft from around the world, Pima also has its own restoration facility where incoming aircraft like SOFIA are prepared for museum immortalization after their arrival.<\/p>\n<p>At Pima, the plane will join other notable NASA aircraft, like the first Super Guppy that transported Saturn V rocket parts for the Apollo missions, and the KC-135 \u201cWeightless Wonder V\u201d that created low-gravity conditions by flying parabolic arcs \u2013 steep climbs and dives \u2013 to conduct science experiments and train astronauts. NASA plans to support the exhibition of the SOFIA aircraft with additional mission artifacts that speak to SOFIA\u2019s legacy.<\/p>\n<p>SOFIA was a joint project of NASA and the German Space Agency at DLR. DLR provided the telescope, scheduled aircraft maintenance, and other support for the mission. NASA\u2019s Ames Research Center in California\u2019s Silicon Valley managed the SOFIA program, science, and mission operations in cooperation with the Universities Space Research Association, headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, and the German SOFIA Institute at the University of Stuttgart. The aircraft was maintained and operated by NASA\u2019s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Palmdale, California. SOFIA achieved full operational capability in 2014 and concluded its final science flight on Sept. 29, 2022.<\/p>\n<p>To learn more about SOFIA, visit:<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/sofia\"><strong>https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/sofia<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><!--more--><br \/>\n<!-- {\"type\":\"layout\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"section\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"style\":\"default\",\"title_breakpoint\":\"xl\",\"title_position\":\"top-left\",\"title_rotation\":\"left\",\"vertical_align\":\"\",\"width\":\"default\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"width_medium\":\"expand\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"headline\",\"props\":{\"content\":\"\n\n<p class=\\\"title\\\">NASA\\u2019s Retired SOFIA Aircraft Finds New Home at Arizona Museum<\\\/p>\",\"title_element\":\"h1\"}},{\"type\":\"text\",\"props\":{\"column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"content\":\"\n\n<p>Below is NASA's official press release regarding their decision to choose Pima Air &amp; Space Museum as the home for the retirement of their iconic aircraft.<\\\/p>\\n\n\n<p>Watch the SOFIA episode with our partners at The Aviation Show:<\\\/p>\",\"dropcap\":false,\"margin\":\"default\",\"text_align\":\"left\",\"text_style\":\"large\"}},{\"type\":\"button\",\"props\":{\"button_size\":\"small\",\"grid_column_gap\":\"small\",\"grid_row_gap\":\"small\",\"margin\":\"default\",\"text_align\":\"center\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"button_item\",\"props\":{\"button_style\":\"primary\",\"content\":\"NASA\\u2019s Airborne Telescope SOFIA with D\\u00f6rte Mehlert\",\"icon_align\":\"left\",\"link\":\"https:\\\/\\\/youtu.be\\\/G-oxMUnK1gI?si=JAS6dKGEHO59zlvZ\",\"link_target\":\"blank\"}}]}]},{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"width_medium\":\"large\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"image\",\"props\":{\"image\":\"wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/12\\\/sofiaoversierra.jpeg\",\"image_svg_color\":\"emphasis\",\"margin\":\"default\"}}]}],\"props\":{\"layout\":\"expand,large\"}},{\"type\":\"row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"width_medium\":\"1-3\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"text\",\"props\":{\"column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"content\":\"\n\n<p>Palmdale, CA, Dec. 8, 2022 - NASA\\u2019s now-retired Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) aircraft will find a permanent home in the Pima Air &amp; Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona. The airplane is expected to make its final flight from NASA\\u2019s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Palmdale, California, to Tucson on Tuesday, Dec. 13.<\\\/p>\\n\n\n<p>\\u201cThe SOFIA mission has a powerful potential to inspire, from its discoveries about the unknown in our universe, to the engineering achievements that broke new ground, to the international cooperation that made it all possible,\\u201d said Paul Hertz, senior advisor for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. \\u201cWe are excited SOFIA will continue to engage a diverse new generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers.\\u201d<\\\/p>\",\"margin\":\"default\"}}]},{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"width_medium\":\"2-3\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"image\",\"props\":{\"image\":\"wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/01\\\/DJI_0721-HDR.jpg\",\"image_svg_color\":\"emphasis\",\"margin\":\"default\"}}]}],\"props\":{\"layout\":\"1-3,2-3\"}},{\"type\":\"row\",\"children\":[{\"type\":\"column\",\"props\":{\"image_position\":\"center-center\",\"position_sticky_breakpoint\":\"m\"},\"children\":[{\"type\":\"text\",\"props\":{\"column_breakpoint\":\"m\",\"content\":\"\n\n<p>The SOFIA aircraft is a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry a reflecting telescope. Engineering innovations enabled a large door in the fuselage to remain open while the aircraft was in flight, allowing the telescope to observe infrared light from the Moon, planets, stars, star-forming regions, and nearby galaxies. After a successful eight years of science, SOFIA<span>\\u00a0<\\\/span><a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nasa.gov\\\/feature\\\/ames\\\/nasa-s-legacy-of-science-engineering-in-retiring-airborne-observatory\\\/\\\">completed its science program<\\\/a><span>\\u00a0<\\\/span>and<span>\\u00a0<\\\/span><a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nasa.gov\\\/feature\\\/nasa-partner-decide-to-conclude-sofia-mission\\\">ended operations<\\\/a><span>\\u00a0<\\\/span>Sept. 29, 2022.<\\\/p>\\n\n\n<p>To determine a new home for the plane after the end of the mission, NASA followed regulations for the disposition of excess government equipment. Pima, one of the world\\u2019s largest aerospace museums, is developing plans for when and how the SOFIA aircraft will eventually be on display to the public. Along with six hangars, 80 acres of outdoor display grounds, and more than 425 aircraft from around the world, Pima also has its own restoration facility where incoming aircraft like SOFIA are prepared for museum immortalization after their arrival.<\\\/p>\\n\n\n<p>At Pima, the plane will join other notable NASA aircraft, like the first Super Guppy that transported Saturn V rocket parts for the Apollo missions, and the KC-135 \\u201cWeightless Wonder V\\u201d that created low-gravity conditions by flying parabolic arcs \\u2013 steep climbs and dives \\u2013 to conduct science experiments and train astronauts. NASA plans to support the exhibition of the SOFIA aircraft with additional mission artifacts that speak to SOFIA\\u2019s legacy.<\\\/p>\\n\n\n<p>SOFIA was a joint project of NASA and the German Space Agency at DLR. DLR provided the telescope, scheduled aircraft maintenance, and other support for the mission. NASA\\u2019s Ames Research Center in California\\u2019s Silicon Valley managed the SOFIA program, science, and mission operations in cooperation with the Universities Space Research Association, headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, and the German SOFIA Institute at the University of Stuttgart. The aircraft was maintained and operated by NASA\\u2019s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Palmdale, California. SOFIA achieved full operational capability in 2014 and concluded its final science flight on Sept. 29, 2022.<\\\/p>\\n\n\n<p>To learn more about SOFIA, visit:<\\\/p>\\n\n\n<p align=\\\"center\\\"><a href=\\\"https:\\\/\\\/www.nasa.gov\\\/sofia\\\"><strong>https:\\\/\\\/www.nasa.gov\\\/sofia<\\\/strong><\\\/a><\\\/p>\",\"margin\":\"default\"}}]}]}]}],\"version\":\"4.4.12\"} --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NASA\u2019s Retired SOFIA Aircraft Finds New Home at Arizona Museum Below is NASA&#8217;s official press release regarding their decision to choose Pima Air &amp; Space Museum as the home for the retirement of their iconic aircraft. Watch the SOFIA episode with our partners at The Aviation Show: NASA\u2019s Airborne Telescope SOFIA with D\u00f6rte Mehlert Palmdale, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":4218,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4217","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>SOFIA - Pima Air &amp; Space<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pimaair.org\/sofia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"SOFIA - Pima Air &amp; Space\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"NASA\u2019s Retired SOFIA Aircraft Finds New Home at Arizona Museum Below is NASA&#8217;s official press release regarding their decision to choose Pima Air &amp; Space Museum as the home for the retirement of their iconic aircraft. 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