Slow and Steady

SOFIA’s 9-foot mirror is lowered into the cavity and attached to a structure sitting on a thin layer of oil for stability and vibration-free operation.

SOFIA’s 9-foot mirror is lowered into the cavity and attached to a structure sitting on a thin layer of oil for stability and vibration-free operation.

Photographer NASA/Carla Thomas
Location AFRC
NASA AFRCArmstrong Flight Research CenterStratospheric Observatory for Infrared AstronomySOFIATelescopeAirborne Science