Technicians guide removal of the upper rigid door assembly that covers the telescope cavity on NASA's SOFIA 747SP in preparation for primary mirror removal

Technicians guide removal of the upper rigid door assembly that covers the telescope cavity on NASA's SOFIA 747SP in preparation for primary mirror removal.

Technicians guide removal of the upper rigid door assembly that covers the telescope cavity on NASA's SOFIA 747SP in preparation for primary mirror removal.

Photographer NASA/Tony Landis
Location AFRC
SOFIAStratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomyaperture mounting assemblyupper rigid door assemblycavity doorsremovalAmes 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