NASA's SOFIA airborne observatory taxis past Hangar 1, the 1930s-era dirigible hangar at Moffett Field, during its first visit to NASA Ames Research Center

NASA's SOFIA airborne observatory taxis past Hangar 1, the 1930s-era dirigible hangar at Moffett Field, during its first visit to NASA Ames Research Center.

NASA's SOFIA airborne observatory taxis past Hangar 1, the 1930s-era dirigible hangar at Moffett Field, during its first visit to NASA Ames Research Center.

Photographer NASA/Dominic Hart
Location ARC
SOFIAStratospheric Observatory for Infrared AstronomyAmes Research Centerfirst visitDryden Aircraft Operations FacilityPalmdaleClipper LindberghGerman-built 100-inch 2 5 meter diameter infrared telescope20 tonshighly-modified Boeing 747SP aircraftDLR Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt German AerospaceL-3 Communications Integrated SystemsUniversities Space Research AssociationUSRADeutsches SOFIA InstitutDSI