| 
- The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) to construct and maintain an airborne observatory.
- The primary science objectives of SOFIA are to study the composition of planetary atmospheres and surfaces; to investigate the structure, evolution and composition of comets; to determine the physics and chemistry of the interstellar medium; and to explore the formation of stars and other stellar objects.
- SOFIA’s telescope is by far the largest ever to be placed in an aircraft. Here telescope is designed for infrared astronomy observations in the stratosphere at altitudes of about 41,000 feet (about 12 km). The optical system uses a Cassegrain reflector design with a parabolic primary mirror and a remotely configurable hyperbolic secondary.
- SOFIA's flight capability allows it to rise above almost all of the water vapor in the Earth's atmosphere, which blocks some infrared wavelengths from reaching the ground. At the aircraft's cruising altitude, 85% of the full infrared range will be available. The aircraft can also travel to almost any point on the Earth's surface, allowing observation from the northern and southern hemispheres.
Note: I've not removed wiki's link so as to define the source. To make the article precise, only that points which I think are relevant to UPSC, IBPS etc. are included here.
