![26 January 2021, Hamburg: Behind the open hatch, the reflecting telescope of the flying stratospheric observatory "SOFIA" can be seen inside a converted Boeing 747 during final checks at Lufthansa Technik. The 26 January 2021, Hamburg: Behind the open hatch, the reflecting telescope of the flying stratospheric observatory "SOFIA" can be seen inside a converted Boeing 747 during final checks at Lufthansa Technik. The](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2E92C3H/26-january-2021-hamburg-behind-the-open-hatch-the-reflecting-telescope-of-the-flying-stratospheric-observatory-sofia-can-be-seen-inside-a-converted-boeing-747-during-final-checks-at-lufthansa-technik-the-stratospheric-observatory-for-infrared-astronomy-sofia-is-a-boeing-747-converted-into-a-flying-telescope-by-the-us-space-agency-nasa-and-the-german-aerospace-center-dlr-it-has-been-undergoing-maintenance-at-the-lufthansa-technik-base-in-hamburg-in-recent-weeks-photo-christian-charisiusdpa-2E92C3H.jpg)
26 January 2021, Hamburg: Behind the open hatch, the reflecting telescope of the flying stratospheric observatory "SOFIA" can be seen inside a converted Boeing 747 during final checks at Lufthansa Technik. The
![NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) aircraft taxies on the flightline at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., Dec. 13, 2022. The SOFIA aircraft is a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) aircraft taxies on the flightline at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., Dec. 13, 2022. The SOFIA aircraft is a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2NH4WH1/nasas-stratospheric-observatory-for-infrared-astronomy-sofia-aircraft-taxies-on-the-flightline-at-davis-monthan-air-force-base-ariz-dec-13-2022-the-sofia-aircraft-is-a-boeing-747sp-jetliner-modified-to-carry-a-reflecting-telescope-it-allowed-astronomers-to-study-the-solar-system-and-beyond-in-ways-that-are-not-possible-with-ground-based-telescopes-2NH4WH1.jpg)
NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) aircraft taxies on the flightline at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., Dec. 13, 2022. The SOFIA aircraft is a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry
![Stratosphärenobservatorium für Infrarotastronomie (SOFIA) | redlogix Software & System Engineering GmbH Stratosphärenobservatorium für Infrarotastronomie (SOFIA) | redlogix Software & System Engineering GmbH](https://www.redlogix.de/wp-content/uploads/Sofia_Sketch.jpg)
Stratosphärenobservatorium für Infrarotastronomie (SOFIA) | redlogix Software & System Engineering GmbH
![SOFIA Telescope on Twitter: "SOFIA's #telescope: 2.5 m. Kuiper Airborne Observatory, 1974: .9m; Lear Jet,1966: .3m http://t.co/RnqnpNK6pi #tbt http://t.co/lPIRUeB2Ob" / Twitter SOFIA Telescope on Twitter: "SOFIA's #telescope: 2.5 m. Kuiper Airborne Observatory, 1974: .9m; Lear Jet,1966: .3m http://t.co/RnqnpNK6pi #tbt http://t.co/lPIRUeB2Ob" / Twitter](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B8iGGAOCEAEElMa.png)