1 R. D. Gehrz66th International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy , Columbus, OH, June 23, 2011
The Stratospheric Observatory forInfrared Astronomy (SOFIA)
R. D. Gehrza and E. E. Becklinb
aUniversity of MinnesotabUniversities Space Research Association
This talk is at: http://www.sofia.usra.edu/Science/speakers/index.html
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Outline
• SOFIA Description and Status Report
• SOFIA Performance Specifications
•SOFIA First-Light and Early Science Images
• SOFIA Schedule and General Investigator (GI) Opportunities
• Summary
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SOFIA Overview• 2.5 m telescope in a modified Boeing 747SP aircraft
– Imaging and spectroscopy from 0.3 m to 1.6 mm
– Emphasizes the obscured IR (30-300 m)
• Operational Altitude– 39,000 to 45,000 feet (12 to 14 km)
– Above > 99.8% of obscuring water vapor
• Joint Program between the US (80%) and Germany (20%)– First Light images were obtained on May 26, 2010
– 20 year design lifetime –can respond to changing technology
– Ops: Science at NASA-Ames; Flight at Dryden FRC (Palmdale- Site 9)
– Deployments to the Southern Hemisphere and elsewhere
– >120 8-10 hour flights per year
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• Above 99.8% of the water vapor
• Transmission at 14 km >80% from 1 to 800 µm; emphasis
on the obscured IR regions from 30 to 300 µm
• Instrumentation: wide variety, rapidly interchangeable, state-of-the art – SOFIA is a new observatory every few years!
• Mobility: anywhere, anytime
• Twenty year design lifetime
• A near-space observatory that comes home after every flight
The Advantages of SOFIA
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The SOFIA Observatory
open cavity (door not shown)
TELESCOPE
pressure bulkhead
scientific instrument
scientist stations, telescope and instrument control, etc.
Educators work station
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Primary Mirror M1
M2
M3-1
M3-2
f/19.6 Focal Plane
Focal Plane Imager
Pressure bulkhead
Nasmyth tube
Spherical Hydraulic Bearing
Observers in pressurized cabin have ready access
to the focal plane
Nasmyth: Optical Layout
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Primary Mirror Installed Oct. 8, 2008
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Back End of the SOFIA Telescope
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SOFIA Airborne with Door Open!
NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy 747SP on Dec. 18, 2009. (NASA
Photo / Carla Thomas)
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As an airborne mission, SOFIA supports a unique, expandable instrument suite
• SOFIA covers the full IR range with imagers and low to high resolution spectrographs
• 4 instruments at Initial Operations;
7 instruments at Full Operations.
• SOFIA will take full advantage of improvements in instrument technology. There will be one new instrument or major upgrade each year.
• Will support both Facility Instruments and PI Class Instruments
SOFIA Science Instruments
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Photometric Sensitivity and Angular resolution
SOFIA is diffraction limited beyond 25 µm (θmin ~ λ/10 in arcseconds) and can produce images three times sharper than those made by Spitzer
SOFIA is as
sensitive as ISO
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AAS/DPS Meeting, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, July 19, 2008 12
SOFIA First Light
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The First Light and Early Science with FORCAST
The FORCAST Team
The DSI Telescope Assembly andMission Operations Team
in action during theFirst Light Flight
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First Light on May 26, 2011 UT: We demonstrated diffraction limited imaging capability at 30 microns
Red = 37.1 m, Green = 24.2 m, Blue = 5.4 m
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AAS/DPS Meeting, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, July 19, 2008 15
SOFIA Early Science: Images of Star Formation
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Orion
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17 R. D. GehrzBall Aerospace & Technologies Corporation, Boulder, CO, June 3, 201166th International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy , Columbus, OH, June 23, 2011
66th International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy , Columbus, OH, June 23, 2011
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SOFIA Early Science Images
Red = 37.1 m, Green = 24.2 m
Red = 20 m
Green = 12 m Blue = 11 mWyoming Infrared Image from
Herzog et al., 1980, Sky and Telescope, 59, 18
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Basic Science Schedule
• There was a factor of four oversubscription
• May – June 2011 FORCAST Basic Science Flights
completed successfully
• June 2011 Observatory Engineering Flights
and HIPO/Fast Imaging Camera
observations of a Pluto occultation
• July – September 2011 GREAT Early Science
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May 5, 2011: First Guest Observer on SOFIA
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Next Call for Science
•October 2011 Next Call for GI Science Proposals
•January 12, 2012 Next Science Proposals Due
•Summer 2012 Next Science Flight Series Begins
•SIs Available: GREAT
FORCAST (with grisms)
HIPO
FLITECAM (with grisms)
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Future Instrumentation Development
• Draft solicitation released on December 15, 2010
• First Solicitation release: Mid 2011 (target)
• Proposals due 90 days later
• Selections announced: Late 2011
• Contracts initiated: Early 2012
• There will be additional calls every three years
• $5-$10 million/year for life of the program
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Summary
• The Program is making progress!
Flight envelope testing is completed Science flights have begun
• SOFIA will be one of the primary observational facilities for far-IR and submillimeter astronomy for many years
Our Web site: http://www.sofia.usra.edu//
This talk: http://www.sofia.usra.edu/Science/speakers/index.html
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Backup
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SOFIA’s First-Generation Instruments
(http://www.sofia.usra.edu/Science/instruments/)
see also Gehrz et al. 2011 (arXiV:1102.1050)
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SOFIA’s FORCAST First-Light Images: M82
May 26, 2010 UT