SOFIA
Long-distance shot of NASA's SOFIA observatory/telescope taking off from MSP airport, September 20, 2019.
SOFIA was Boeing 747SP-21 N747NA, LN306/MSN 21441 (originally purchased by Pan American World Airways, Inc. as N536PA 'Clipper Lindbergh' and later, sold to United Airlines as N145UA).
After commercial service with Pan Am and later with United Airlines, this airplane became the platform for SOFIA (the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy). For this role, the airplane was extensively modified into a flying observatory/telescope, and was jointly operated by NASA and the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-und Raumfahrt, abbreviated DLR).
She took her maiden flight as SOFIA on May 26, 2010. Retiring after having served for a little over 12 years, SOFIA took her final flight on September 28-29, 2022. She is now on display at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.
SOFIA
Long-distance shot of NASA's SOFIA observatory/telescope taking off from MSP airport, September 20, 2019.
SOFIA was Boeing 747SP-21 N747NA, LN306/MSN 21441 (originally purchased by Pan American World Airways, Inc. as N536PA 'Clipper Lindbergh' and later, sold to United Airlines as N145UA).
After commercial service with Pan Am and later with United Airlines, this airplane became the platform for SOFIA (the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy). For this role, the airplane was extensively modified into a flying observatory/telescope, and was jointly operated by NASA and the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-und Raumfahrt, abbreviated DLR).
She took her maiden flight as SOFIA on May 26, 2010. Retiring after having served for a little over 12 years, SOFIA took her final flight on September 28-29, 2022. She is now on display at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.