Airborne telescope

[Hobbes]

Not something I saw flying myself, but interesting nonetheless...
NASA and DLR are running a project to put an infrared telescope into an airliner. SOFIA is undergoing testing at the moment:




Build images:



This would be a fun modification to an airliner kit...

[frank2056]

I worked for the UCLA Astronomy Dept. for many years, mainly on telescopes and IR imagers. I left just as this project was starting! I think it would have been a lot of fun to help commission it.

What's ironic is that the Science and Mission Operations Director (Eric Becklin) was on the Aloha Airlines flight that had a mid-air decompression that ripped open the top of the airplane.

Frank

[Ed S]

Interesting.  NASA also used a C-141 with an infrared telescope for years. The Kuiper Airbourne Observatory.

Ed

[B777LR]

Very beautiful 747SP indeed, i like SOFIA

What i have yet to find out, will there actually be a clear cover over the telescope, or is it just a gaping hole in the fuselage when the door slides open?

[Hobbes]

B777: they won't cover the hole. Amazing, but it's the only way to get the telescope to work. It's an infrared scope, so it would see the heat signature of the cover unless the cover were cooled to near absolute zero, which isn't feasible.

The SOFIA site has some more information on this. Getting the aerodynamics right (mainly to avoid turbulence over the telescope, which would hinder observations) was the biggest challenge for this project. 

[The Rat]

Hobbes is correct. When you spend megabucks configuring a mirror and associated lenses for the best resolution possible, the last thing you want to do is put something in between them and the image. If you do you need to spend even more getting something that won't intefere with everything, meaning more money.

[B777LR]

Wow, the airframe must have received MAJOR structural strengthening, in order to avoid the tail breaking off mid-air...

[Mossie]

Hobbes is correct. When you spend megabucks configuring a mirror and associated lenses for the best resolution possible, the last thing you want to do is put something in between them and the image. If you do you need to spend even more getting something that won't intefere with everything, meaning more money.

I've got to admit, I would have thought putting a telescope in an aircraft is a crazy idea.  After all, a lot of money is spent making sure ground telescopes aren't affected by vibration.  One little bump of turbulance & whoops, that's a whole nights research up the swanny.  I guess it has some serious stabilising equipment, both software & hardware.  I can understand the reasoning behind it though, the higher up a telescope, the lesser the atmosphere has an effect on it.

Very interesting stuff!

[Hobbes]

well, it's a combination: the low-frequency IR images they're after can't be taken on the ground (water vapor absorbs these wavelengths), and the lower frequency means you can get away with more vibration (this telescope wouldn't be usable for visible light, forinstance).

[Archibald]

What's ironic is that the Science and Mission Operations Director (Eric Becklin) was on the Aloha Airlines flight that had a mid-air decompression that ripped open the top of the airplane.

Very ironic indeed!

[Weaver]

What's ironic is that the Science and Mission Operations Director (Eric Becklin) was on the Aloha Airlines flight that had a mid-air decompression that ripped open the top of the airplane.

Frank

Maybe that gave him the idea - everyone else was going "ARRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" but he was going "Hmmmmmmmmmm......" 

[Archibald]

Or maybe he has some telescope on its suitcase. The suitcase fell on its knees in typical "hollywood air disaster" fashion, and opened. He took the telescope, and, as everybody screamed around, pointed it to the stars...
"Hey, that should work, if only darn pilot could damper those vibrations..."

Btw this discussion remind me of this
http://www.metrolyrics.com/ironic-lyrics-alanis-morissette.html

"
He Packed His Suitcase And Kissed His Kids Good Bye
He Waited His Whole Damn Life To Take That Flight
And As The Plane Crashed Down He Thought
Well Isn't This Nice
And Isn't It Ironic Don't You Think..."

[PR19_Kit]

This would be a fun modification to an airliner kit...

Indeed it would, but first you need to make the 747SP, which isn't easy, and then do the add-on for the 'scope. It'd be pretty darned impressive when it's finished though, and a great colour scheme as well.

Not sure if anyone does an SP conversion any more, there used to be a resin fuselage available some years back, but you also need a Revell 747-200 to start with, forget the Airfix disaster...... 

[Mossie]

Always thought the SP was too shrunk, almost like Radish had built a 'Short' 747!  My reckoning is that one day, a bunch of 737 & 747 plans got caught in a draught on the way from the design office to the shop floor & Jimmy the office junior picked them up & hoped no-one noticed they'd got shuffled.  Cue much head scratching in Assembley, 'Jim, you sure this is what they want?'  'Well, they wouldn't have it put in the plans if they didn't, would they boss....?'!!!!

Good to see this thread ressurected, I'd almost forgot about this one.

[PR19_Kit]

Always thought the SP was too shrunk, almost like Radish had built a 'Short' 747!

The real story of the SP is that while they were pulling a finished -200 out of the final build shop the guy driving the tow tug selected reverse instead of forward. They backed the -200 into the wall with some force and concertina'd the fuselage. After a bit of 'Ooer, what do we do now?' the customer, who happened to be there at the time, said 'The hell with it, smooth out the bumps and we'll take it as it is' so they did..............