TITLE:

Engineering Challenges of Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)

DATE:

Friday, October 24th 2014

TIME:

3:30 PM

LOCATION:

GMCS 214

SPEAKER:

Dr. Nans Kunz. National Engineering Safety Center (NSEC) Chief Engineer at NASA Ames

ABSTRACT:

SOFIA is the largest airborne observatory in the world, capable of making observations that are impossible for even the largest and highest ground-based telescopes. During its planned 20-year lifetime, SOFIA also will inspire the development of new scientific instrumentation and foster the education of young scientists and engineers.

SOFIA project was an 80/20 collaborative project between NASA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). SOFIA is based on a Boeing 747SP wide-body aircraft that has been modified to include a large door in the aft fuselage that can be opened in flight to allow a large (2.5 meter diameter) reflecting telescope access to the sky. Modifying an existing airframe to accommodate and operate as an observatory posed several challenges. The open cavity housing the telescope is exposed to high-speed turbulent winds. In addition, the vibrations and motions of the aircraft introduce observing difficulties.

This presentation will discuss the challenges of this interdisciplinary project with a focus on the translation of astronomer’s desires into engineering requirements, early feasibility demonstrations, technical development, and challenges overcome in integration.

HOST:

Dr. Satchi Venkataraman

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