NASA's SOFIA infrared observatory touches down at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, CA, as it arrives at its new home, the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility

NASA's SOFIA infrared observatory touches down at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif., as it arrives at its new home, the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility.

NASA's SOFIA infrared observatory touches down at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif., as it arrives at its new home, the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility.

Photographer NASA/Tony Landis
Location AFRC
SOFIAStratospheric Observatory for Infrared AstronomyAmes Research CenterDryden Aircraft Operations FacilityPalmdaleSite 9Clipper 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