NASA Pilots Lecture: Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)

Ever wanted to know what it’s like to fly the world’s largest airborne observatory? Come listen to two of NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) pilots as they talk about what it’s like to fly this one-of-a-kind aircraft!

Liz Ruth and Ace Beall will be at the Aerospace Museum for a lecture and Q&A session, sharing their experiences piloting NASA’s 747, specially retrofitted with a massive telescope.

The Boeing 747SP named SOFIA is the largest flying observatory in the world, according to NASA. SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) is designed to observe the infrared universe. It provides data that can’t be picked up by any other telescope on the ground or in space.