NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy is silhouetted against the sky as it soars on its second check flight near Waco, Texas on May 10, 2007

NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy is silhouetted against the sky as it soars on its second check flight near Waco, Texas on May 10, 2007.

NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy is silhouetted against the sky as it soars on its second check flight near Waco, Texas on May 10, 2007.

Photographer NASA/Jim Ross
Location AFRC
SOFIAStratospheric Observatory for Infrared AstronomyClipper 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 InstitutDSIsecond flight